ORANGE councillor Neil Jones says council needs to address problems with traffic flow and pedestrian access to the Woolworths car park before planned upgrades to Harris Farm Markets are completed.
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Cr Jones said access to the store from Sale Street was problematic and dangerous, with pedestrians forced to walk on a narrow uneven path alongside vehicles entering the car park.
“This is a serious issue that council has to address, council will have to discuss whether they can allocate funds to [it],” Cr Jones said.
“The issue is the narrow path, it will [need to] be widened all the way through, you wouldn’t allow this [current situation] in a new shopping centre. The new Harris Farm Market will bring in increased pedestrian traffic.”
As well as levelling, widening and remarking the pedestrian crossing along the laneway, he said a traffic speed hump would also be made wider.
Cr Jones said council had not allocated funds for the road upgrades despite having approved Harris Farm Markets’ expansion plans at Tuesday’s council meeting, and he hopes the funds will be allocated at the next quarterly budget meeting.
“This is not Harris Farm’s responsibility, this is council’s responsibility and council will have to make a funding allocation because it’s not in the current funding for works,” he said.
However, Cr Jones said Harris Farm Markets was responsible for pedestrian markings directly in front of the store and those plans were included in the approved development application.
According to details provided in the application, the proposed development has an estimated cost of $650,000, the floor plan could increase by 150 square metres and include more fruit and vegetables, an enhanced fish section as well as a butchery and bakery.
The entrance will be moved near the current exit and a new exit will be built that comes out into the arcade.
A new pedestrian crossing will also be installed to go with the new entry and exit points and to improve accessibility and pedestrian safety.
The store will be made larger by extending into a vacant shop in the arcade. Improvements will include an expansion of existing sections such as fruit and vegetables, groceries and refrigerated food.
However, Harris Farm Markets Orange operations manager Frank Dante said plans were yet to be finalised and a timeframe had not been set.
“Added sections are still in planning stages. We’re just planning this step by step at the moment,” Mr Dante said.
tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au
