The following flyer was distributed throughout Blackheath on Saturday, 27th of June, 2020.
Save Blackheath, Station Street and Centennial Glen
Dear Resident and Business Owner,
The undersigned Community, Sporting and Business Groups of the Upper Blue Mountains agree:
- the Station Street and Centennial Glen options should be taken off the table for consideration by the Government as they are not in the community’s best interests
- the current Strategic Corridor placed over Western Blackheath is detrimental to people’s personal and financial well-being and should be immediately removed
Once these two options are removed from consideration we can then concentrate on and assess the remaining highway upgrade options.
BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP to get this message to politicians and the media.
Prior to the 2019 state election the NSW Government made a commitment to spend $2.5 billion towards a $4.5 billion 4-lane (dual carriageway) upgrade of 31km of the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Lithgow.
The Blackheath options for the proposed highway upgrade include:
- Centennial Glen option:an outer bypass with tunnels and bridges over Shipley Road, Centennial Pass and Porters Pass
- Station Street option: an inner western bypass
- A long tunnel or short tunnel bypass (both beneath the town)
- Widening the existing highway corridor through town
The Station Street and Centennial Glen options involve:
- Significant property acquisition (both residential and business property) and impacts on surrounding residential properties and the loss of local businesses
- Destruction of precious heritage, flora and fauna, bushland and recreational areas
- Loss of Centennial Glen as a significant rock climbing destination in Australia, and the severe impact this will have on local tourism and business in our community.
We are concerned that:
- The economic stranglehold on Western Blackheath caused by the Strategic Corridor will remain in place
- If the Station Street and Centennial Glen options remain on the table, a corridor will be gazetted and placed into the LEP (Local Environmental Plan)
- There will be ongoing impacts on property values, local businesses and tourism.
We urgently need to get the Station Street and Centennial Glen options off the table and lift the Strategic Corridor on the western side of the railway line so:
- local residents in these affected areas can get on with their lives, and
- local businesses can plan and invest with certainty
We need your help now; we need to speak with ONE VOICE
Please contact your Members of Parliament listed below, and tell them NO to the proposed Centennial Glen and Station Street Options and lift the Corridor NOW.
Thank you!
This flyer is prepared and distributed by the following groups who support our community:
Blackheath Area Community Alliance
Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre Inc.
Blackheath Choir Festival
Blackheath & District Chamber of Commerce and Community Inc.
Blackheath Gold & Communnity Club
Blackheath Highway Action Group Inc.
Blackheath Men's Shed
Blackheath Mount Victoria RSL Sub-branch
Blackheath Public School P&C Association
Blackheath Rhododendron Festival Committee Inc.
Blackheath Streetscape Group
Blue Mountains Historical Society
Blackheath Rhododendron Society
Friends of Blackheath Hall
Friends of Blackheath Pool & Memorial Park
Medlow Bath Residents Association Inc.
Save Centennial Glen Group
Save Station Street Group
Vipassana Meditation Centre
CONTACT DETAILS FOR KEY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT:
Please email:
The Hon Paul Toole MP, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Member for Bathurst
Emails:
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Trish Doyle MP, Member for Blue Mountains
Email:
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and copy:
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