The Meander Valley's Blackstone Heights is set to grow, with a 95-lot subdivision planned for the suburb.
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Part of the 67.68 hectare block at 1 Panorama Road is set to be subdivided into 95 lots in a 12-staged subdivision.
A development application was lodged with the Meander Valley Council for the large-scale subdivision, which includes new roads and public open space.
The proposed development will be accessed via two new junctions with Panorama Road and via Kelsey Road. The land is zoned as low density residential.
A traffic impact assessment found the subdivision met traffic requirements and would bring an additional 855 vehicles per day and 81 during peak hours. It concluded the development would not create any traffic or safety issues.
The TIA did note the only location where there was a traffic capacity issues, though minor, was at the Casino Rise/Country Club Avenue junction, which was an existing issue and made marginally worse by the proposal.
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However the TIA outlined the junction could be improved with some line marking to channelize the junction and in terms of traffic safety, some minor hazards could be fixed.
The council did raise concerns about bushfire safety and the suitability of the only road into the suburb, Pitcher Parade/Blackstone Road, in an emergency.
The subdivision will result in the Kelsey Road link and the TIA claimed it was beneficial in terms of emergency access and bushfire management. A bushfire hazard management plan also showed how the subdivision planned to comply with regulations.
A natural values report found the land had a suitable habitat for several threatened fauna species and vegetation clearance may have a minor impact. It noted the clearing of dense weed patches would have some impact on eastern barred bandicoot. However it concluded retained vegetation on surrounding land would provide alternate habitat and the impact was expected to be minimal as staging progressively disturbs the habitat.
A salinity test was conducted on the soil and found the six testing locations showed it was non-saline, therefore, there was low risk of salinity impacts on this site to buildings, infrastructure and road paving.
The development application is available for public comment on the council's website until September 14.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
