The public domain includes the road and laneway network, pedestrian connections, plazas and parks. The Public Domain Plan identifies opportunities to improve these areas.
Improvements
Streetscape works can help improve the pedestrian environment throughout Spit Junction by encouraging walking throughout the centre and providing opportunities for increased outdoor dining and passive recreation.
A number of streetscape improvements have been suggested and shown on the Public Domain Plan including:
- Improve way finding and entrance to pedestrian overpass;
- Widening of footpaths to improve safety and amenity of existing pedestrian connections;
- Upgrade existing pedestrian through-site connections;
- New and consistent footpath embellishment along Spit and Military Roads;
- Retain existing street trees and provide new street trees along secondary streets;
- Provide active frontages along key pedestrian routes and links; and
- Retain all existing pedestrian crossings and pedestrian movements at signalised intersections.
Public Spaces
In respect to public spaces and places the project team have identified two key areas for improvement and enhancement of the existing Mosman Square and possible Clifford Street Plaza.
Mosman Square
Mosman Square is a key local space that has been formed through a road closure. It presents itself not as a ‘square’ but more as a linear landscaped space that connects Military Road with Mosman Park. Mosman Square is characterised by a change of level down towards the park and has a number of existing trees. The space also has a ‘cluttered’ character. The proposed redevelopment of Mosman Civic Centre presents a real opportunity to redesign and revitalise Mosman Square.
As part of the Mosman Civic Centre concept plan it is proposed that the design and landscape character of Mosman Square be re-conceptualised as three distinct spaces designed to reflect the character of the adjacent uses and activities:
- Civic Place: a formal setting and entry plaza for a new Mosman Civic Centre;
- Mosman Square: acts as an active transition space between the formality of the Civic Place and Village Green/Mosman Park; and
- Village Green: a passive public space.
Clifford Street
The Masterplan proposes to close Clifford Street to vehicles and prevent traffic accessing both Spit Junction and Civic Lane. This proposal has been the subject of discussion by Council and the community.
The closure of Clifford Street presents an opportunity to create a multi-purpose urban space that can improve the quality of the public domain with the following elements:
- Establish a local urban space that commands easterly views down Clifford Street towards Sydney Harbour;
- Integrate a new bus bay and bus stop on Spit Road in concert with the former Cinema site;
- Connect with a revitalised and part pedestrianised Civic Lane to the south, which in turn connects with Military Road and the new Civic Centre;
- Provide bicycle parking into the park allowing cyclists to connect with public transport services;
- Establish a canopy of street trees that can provide shade and shelter and frame the view to the east; and
- Include public art, seating, lighting and other furniture to provide a sense of place and character.
Connectivity (Pedestrian and Vehicular)
The Public Domain Plan builds and capitalises on the existing laneway network within Spit Junction and is divided into:
- Vehicular and Pedestrian Laneways;
- Pedestrian only links; and
- Vehicular Connections.
Vehicular and Pedestrian Laneways
A number of the laneways have a dual vehicular and pedestrian role. These laneways provide the opportunity for:
- Alternative vehicular and servicing without disrupting vehicle movements along Spit and Military Roads;
- Additional pedestrian connections away from Spit and Military Roads;
- Additional building frontages providing opportunities for more active ground uses; and
- New outdoor spaces that can be used for outdoor eating.
Pedestrian Only Links
There is also a number of pedestrian only links that build onto the connectivity provided by the formal laneway network.
These pedestrian connections provide the opportunity for:
- Additional pedestrian connections away from road traffic;
- Additional building frontages to public spaces providing opportunities for more active ground uses; and
- New outdoor spaces that can be used for outdoor eating (eg. Myahgah Mews).
The pedestrian only connections also include the pedestrian overpass that links the southern side of Military Road to the northern side through BridgePoint.
Vehicular Connections
The traffic flows through Spit Junction limit the ability to make significant change or improvements to the vehicular connectivity as part of the Master Plan. The following components of the Public Domain Plan are proposed:
Bus Network
The proposed improvement to the bus network is the provision of a new bus bay through the closure of Clifford Street. The new bus bay will reduce the queuing of buses along Spit Road by providing a new lane for stopping buses.
The new bus bay will remove the existing bus stop at the corner of Military and Spit Roads (travelling west).
Public Parking
The Public Domain Plan retains the existing public car parking areas and the on-street car parking within Spit Junction. There are limited opportunities for more parking within Spit Junction due to the existing development pattern and site amalgamation constraints. New or additional publicly accessible parking can be provided as part of the redevelopment of large sites, including:
- Extra parking spaces provided as part of the Mosman Civic Centre site, and
- New parking as part of retail development at 501-503 Military Road (the existing Toyota showroom site).
Cycle Network
The Public Domain Plan recommends improvements to the cycling facilities within Spit Junction to encourage cycling to, and through, the centre. The improvements are:
- New bicycle parking provided within the redeveloped Civic Centre and within Clifford Street plaza; and
- Connecting existing cycle routes through cycle symbols on roads and improvements to the laneway network.
Heather Hall
June 17, 2012 at 4:21 pmAfter just a brief examination ,I am dismayed ! appalled ! at the height of the proposed buildings ! Why does the building and public areas have to look like another more modern glassy Bondi Jn or ultra modern PEOPLE UNFRIENDLY PLACE ! ? The beauty of the Spit junction area is ,that it links in with the classy, low key village atmosphere of Mosman . Why do you want to destroy that feeling and atmosphere ? FAMILIES come to shop here, not huge numbers of business shoppers . Please lets keep that unique quality of the area . All develpopment does not have to go the ugly way of the previous development of Bridgepoint . (which 75% voted against ). I WOULD PREFER TO PAY MORE RATES THAN SELL THE SOUL OF MOSMAN
I understand that places like the Library need upgrading and maybe the council offices but lets be a bit more sympathatic to the local environment !
Barbara
June 18, 2012 at 4:23 pmI earnestly hope that with the new council building(s) space is made available for our police department. That’s where they belong.
As to great hopes for revitalizing the retail sector in Mosman I can only say it would take a miracle. Half the shops have closed or are selling stock at 50-70 percent off. The landlords are out of control. Mosman needs more cafes and more things going on to bring people in. We could use a small movie theatre as well.
rosie wiliams
July 6, 2012 at 5:23 pmPlease, please dont do this. Please dont make Mosman look like every other town dull town around the world.
Greg Carmichael
July 7, 2012 at 12:53 pmWhere is the increase in green open space? Let’s make a better park around Boronia House.
The site on the corner of Cowles and Military roads currently used as a car wash could become an extension to the “park” grounds of Boronia House and the small hidden park behind and transform this hidden gem into a better utilized facility. I think it should also include the acquisition for restoration and adaptive reuse of the now heavily modified heritage item on Cowles Road next door to the car wash in use as an office building to complete the green heart of Spit Junction. Maybe that office building restored and refurbished could just be the new art gallery and cafe? Set amongst a visible and opened up green space in a prominent location it would have a beautiful high profile setting.
Section 94 contributions were invented to enable addiitional public open space to be created from redevelopment areas.
Greg Carmichael
July 7, 2012 at 1:03 pmParking is fundamental to fixing the problems.
I understand about 100 car spaces are envisaged under the Council site. This is grossly inadequate and suggests that the problems of Spit Junction are not understood. Of all the issues this is the no. 1 must get it right item for Spit Junction.
Any retail expert and shopping centre manager will state that easy access for cars and plentiful cap parking = successful retail centre. The number of car parks at the main gateway – ie Council civic centre site – needs to be plentiful (ie 500 or so). This car park also must operate on a different model where staying longer periods is encouraged in the same free period then inexpensive additional time model that a major shopping centre car park operates under.
Andrew
July 7, 2012 at 4:07 pmExcellent plan. Much needed revival of the area.
Janelle
July 10, 2012 at 9:51 amRevival is good, but the plan does seem to remove the village atmosphere that is so attractive – and isn’t the trend to revive village life?
Marion McMahon
July 10, 2012 at 11:35 amThe proposal is pulling the heart out of Mosman.
We live here because we enjoy the village atmosphere and low-rise buildings, otherwise we would live in Chatswood!
Giving away public land where the Village Green and Council car parks are to a developer to put in a ten storey apartment buildings and make lots of money is scandalouse.
Hands off our Town Hall, our Green and Spit Junction. We like it just the way it is!
Rosemary Moon
July 28, 2012 at 11:50 amThe buildings are far too large, the curved one is particularly out of date ,see Qantas building in the city c. 1960.
Mosmans charm is its village atmosphere and its history, it is not Abu Dhabi or World Trade centre 3 as per your expensive brochure. What are you thinking?
You have already ruined the Village Green centre on Military rd, this was a place for the commncity including families to congregate and now it will become more shops and flats.
You should keep the buildings small and architecturally up to the minute, as little concrete as possible, keep a town square with grass, and a place for an antique as well as craft markey,enlarge the art gallery, and have a public auditorium.
I will vote in the council elections for those who have a vbision for Mosman, not these plans.
Rhonda
August 3, 2012 at 6:57 pmThe scope and size of the building images in the Special Edition of the Mosman News suggest a vision totally out of proportion with the scale of the existing buildings and development. The charm of the Mosman shopping strip used to be the ribbon of small scale boutique shops, some set back from the road, the mature kerbside trees, the human scale laneways, and the opening of the Mosman Square through to the large open village oval. In seeking “vitality” (read malls and flats) the consultants’ brief should be weighting the attractiveness of the laneways, green open spaces, the small scale and leafiness of the courtyards in front of the library and the entrance to council chambers, the views through to the Art Gallery, the War Memorial and through to the roadways, and not dwarf these spaces beneath large flat facades. It is noted that rather than photos, over half of the images are architects’ concept drawings or evening shots. Not so flash in the light of day.
Caitlin
August 29, 2012 at 4:17 pmI am also horrified by the proposals for the Civic Centre and Village Green. I agree with many of the comments above, particularly Ronda’s. Mosman has a real village character, which is the attraction of living in this area. Modern high-rise, which would no doubt be poorly detailed and built due to inevitable budget contraints would add nothing and would take away much from the community and the character of the area. Less sun, less open space, less grass, less character, less enjoyable place to be. Modern in the sense of the Rouse Hill example shown above does not suit Mosman. Please have some resepct for the existing character of the area. What exactly are the problems with this area anyway? They have not been well articulated.
The divided shopping strip along Spit Road does perhaps need some thought, but leave the low-scale, leafy and enjoyable area conencting through to Mosman Oval alone.
Mary Ann Gamutan
August 29, 2012 at 6:06 pmI am a resident of Clifford Street. Where does the Council propose to divert traffic if it closes Clifford Street? The closure of Clifford Street to traffic will only increase traffic through other streets. Residents will have to drive around the block to either Punch Street or Military Road to join the main traffic on Spit Road, thereby worsening traffic congestion in those streets.
Closure of Clifford Street is a foolish idea with little regard for the residents. I oppose this proposition.