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Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade

Charing Cross was Waverley’s first village and is the second-oldest shopping strip in Sydney. We are planning on upgrading the streetscape along Bronte Rd to highlight the important heritage features and improve safety and experience.

Project progressing through detailed design - September 2023

Council are nearing the release of the Review of Environmental Impacts for the project. A minor update was required to ensure it is fit-for-purpose, particularly in relation to the socio-economic assessments and migration recommendations and to allow Council time to assess the existing stormwater assets to guide the necessity for rectification. The revised timeline can be seen below.

The next steps for the Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade project are as follows:

1. The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) will be exhibited to the community for 28 days in late September 2023. Adequate notice will be provided to the community of its release. This will include it being uploaded to this page, notification letters via mail/letterbox drop, notifications on Council’s social media pages, and a business walk and flyer distribution. This notification will include a mechanism for the public to provide feedback.

2. The Request for Tender (RFT) for the preliminary electrical works has been issued and is currently out to market and will close mid-October 2023.

3. Following the REF exhibition period, the feedback will be reviewed, collated, and taken into consideration before the detailed design is finalised. The consultant is anticipating completing the detailed design by early-November 2023.

4. Council will procure a head civil contractor via RFT and report the recommendation to Council in December 2023 to award the contract.

5. Preliminary electrical works will start in early 2024. This will include the laying of conduits and cabling required to underground the overhead powerlines.

6. It is estimated that the bulk civil works will begin April-May 2024.

At the Finance, Operations and Community Services Committee meeting of 4 April, it was resolved unanimously that Council:

1. Approves the Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade Design Intent, as set out in the report, to inform the detailed design with respect to the following components:

(a) Selection of appropriate tree species for heritage and non-heritage building facades.

(b) Street tree and furniture locations with consideration given to the Posted Awning Strategy.

(c) Material interpretations and treatments to acknowledge original kerb alignment within the widened footpath.

(b) Material detailing for lighting, hanging baskets and street furniture.

2. Delegates authority to the Executive Manager, Infrastructure Services, to modify the design should design constraints and on-site circumstances warrant changes.

3. Notes that:

(a) The Charing Cross Precinct Committee has been consulted in recent months, and its feedback has been considered for the development of the final detailed design.

(b) The detailed design will progress to final completion, and Council officers will proceed to advertising a tender for the project to undertake the construction works.

(c) The Review of Environmental Factors will be publicly advertised as legislatively required and the General Manager will make a decision on the project proceeding.

The report presented to Council can be found on page 36 of the Finance, Operations and Community Services Committee meeting Agenda of 4 April 2023. The resolutions can be found on page four of the Minutes of same meeting.

Please see below the background information on this project that has led us to this point.

A concept design was developed using the key ideas from Waverley’s Liveable Places Centres Strategy 2020 and included:

• Upgraded landscaping, including new trees and street furniture
• Safety improvements for all transport modes, including the introduction of a 40km/h area
• Improved sustainability through new bioretention tree pits
• Widening of footpaths to improve public amenity and access
• Undergrounding of overhead powerlines
• New multipoles and upgraded lighting
• Improved stormwater infrastructure

Consultation on the concept was open 21 April to 19 May 2021.

For all the results from the consultation, read the full consultation summary report.

On 22 June Council meeting it was decided to defer Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade to the July Council meeting where Council officers have been asked to present an updated report that reconsiders options to accommodate the following additional matters:

1. The streetscape upgrade is driven first and foremost by heritage principles.
2. Process and timing for the development of a Built Form Master Plan for Charing Cross (including Awning Strategy).
3. Retention of existing footpath width.
4. Moving the central raised pedestrian crossing further down Bronte Road in the vicinity of the House of Handsome.
5. Choice of tree species, including low trees that do not obscure first level heritage façades.
6. Consideration of light poles that, while having the functionally of a multipole, are designed in keeping with the heritage character and do not incorporate a banner arm.
7. Additional changes to the Carrington/Bronte/Victoria and Bronte/Albion intersections to further improve safety.
8. Consideration of hanging baskets and seating appropriate to the heritage values of the area.