A PLAN for pedestrian crossings, slower traffic and more trees in Merewether’s Llewellyn Street is the latest in a series of revamps for 48 Newcastle neighbourhoods.
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Alongside more publicised upgrades to Hunter Street and the coastline, Newcastle council is preparing for rolling renewal works in 48 neighbourhoods, starting with Beresfield, Wallsend, Carrington, Stockton and Llewellyn Street.
The works will be carried out in 24 designated “local centres”, essentially key suburbs such as Wallsend and Beresfield, and 24 smaller “neighbourhood centres”, such as Llewellyn Street.
The council will fund the upgrades through its asset renewal and capital works programs over “several” financial years, Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said, with some developer contributions.
Cr Nelmes said the works would be rolled out on a “needs basis”.
Wallsend’s bridge upgrades over Ironbark Creek have hastened the formulation of traffic and street plans for the neighbourhood around Nelson Street.
A plan to repave and line Carrington’s Young Street with awnings and evergreen trees was approved by the council last month, and work is scheduled to start by mid-2017.
“It’s about improving the amenity of the whole city at the same time as the coastal renewal,” Cr Nelmes said.
“I think each of these plans is an important piece of work.”
On Monday, Newcastle council consultants will meet residents about the draft plan for Llewellyn Street, which would reduce its speed limit by 10 kilometres to 40km/h between Morgan and Merewether streets.
The street’s village feel has been crimped in recent months by the groan of cranes from the site of a three storey mixed-use development on the corner of Merewether Street that will include a childcare centre.
The site became a lightening rod for residents’ anger at developer John Smith last December when a wall of its rain-filled quarry, dubbed “Lake Llewellyn”, fell in.
But building has since gone ahead, and the council plans to allocate five-minute parking zones on Merewether Street to accommodate the childcare centre.
There will be no net loss of parking as a result of the plan, the council says.
Part of Llewellyn Street would be bookended by raised thresholds and made more pedestrian-friendly, with kerbs extended, disused driveways removed and three raised pedestrian crossings built.
The already divided length of Merewether Street leading to Berner Street would be made one-way in both directions, and trees and street furniture such as seats and bicycle racks would be added along Llewellyn Street.
