March 2018 – Pennant Hills District Civic Trust

Touching Base with local Civic Trusts

Ross Walker (Beecroft Civic Trust), Janet McGarry and Mike Moffatt (Epping Civic Trust) and Noel Oxley (Pennant Hills Civic Trust) met last week to discuss issues of common interest: – Overdevelopment – especially on Epping East side with towers of 15-20 storeys under construction – Engagement with our local councils – Communication with our individual membership – Joint campaigning on common issues

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Civic Trust members meet local Councillors

Members of the Pennant Hills District Civic Trust met with the mayor of Hornsby Shire, Philip Ruddock in late February.

[Photo] Hornsby Mayor Phillips Ruddock, Councillor Emma Heyde, and Trust members Noel Oxley and Norman Parris — Hornsby Mayor Phillip Ruddock, Councillor Emma Heyde, and Trust members Noel Oxley and Norman Parris

The Trust had one agenda item only, -the next steps in developing the Pennant Hills Town Centre Plan – although we were also there to listen to what Council had to say. The Trust’s ideas for this had already been flagged in our article published in the March issue of The Monthly Chronicle. We also circulated the article to our members via Gmail and Hornsby Shire Councillors. Continue reading

Pennant Hills Town Plan – Let’s have the Vision before the Plan

In November 2016, the Council invited landowners, business owners, and community progress associations in Pennant Hills and Thornleigh to participate in the Picture Pennant Hills online survey. Not surprisingly, the responses were that there should be little or no development in Pennant Hills, but the Council should facilitate the creation of a welcoming village atmosphere supporting successful local business, with adequate shopping and professional services, through investment in long overdue improvements to shopping centre parking, community and social infrastructure. Continue reading “Pennant Hills Town Plan – Let’s have the Vision before the Plan”

Civic Trust members meet local Member Matt Kean

The PHDCT recently met with our State member, Matt Kean to talk about some of the issues affecting Pennant Hills. Our primary concern involves the need for an updated Plan for our local area which recognises the unique character of Pennant Hills, preserves the best features of our community and green environments and provides a vision of how Pennant Hills should be improved to cater for additional residents and a wider mix of housing styles.

Matt is aware of the push back across Sydney to perceptions of over development and advised us that there would be no new housing targets in Hornsby Shire until after next state election ( March 2019). Our Council is intending that any new housing targets will be met from Hornsby CBD redevelopment.

Matt and our Council are working together to find a solution to the financial impacts the 2017 council amalgamation boundary changes had on Hornsby. It’s a complex issue but in Matt Kean and Philip Ruddock we have some skilled politicians on our side.

You will have seen in our recent emails the discussion of opportunities for an exciting new bike track from Pennant Hills to Epping. As a keen bike rider, Matt supports this initiative and is on side for the difficult discussions which need to be held with Transport for NSW in overcoming the safety issues they see in community using the rail corridor land. Again we are fortunate in having support from Matt, Philip Ruddock and Epping State MLA Damien Tudehope.

As a new resident of Pennant Hills, Matt is getting a better understanding of the traffic, parking and transport interchange issues of Pennant Hills.

We agreed to continue meeting on a regular basis so we can work together to make Pennant Hills a better place to live, work and play.
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Pennant Hills to Epping Cycleway Project funding announced

On Friday 2 March 2017 State Member for Epping, Damien Tudehope announced that the Cycleway from Pennant Hills to Epping will receive $5.1 million from the NSW Government Cycling Infrastructure Fund. The funding requires that the cycleway is completed by 2020.

The Pennant Hills District Civic Trust first approached Mr Tudehope about the cycle path in 2015.

NSW MP Damien Tudehope, Hornsby Mayor Phillip Ruddock, Councillor Emma Heyde, executive members of Bike North and the Pennant Hills, Beecroft Cheltenham and Epping Civic Trusts at the funcding announcement for the new Pennant Hills to Epping Cycleway Continue reading “Pennant Hills to Epping Cycleway Project funding announced”