What's happening in Shortland?
We are improving safety in Shortland, as well as the look and feel of the area to make it a better place to visit and shop for the community.
Our upgrade will:
- Improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians with new kerb ramps and a new pedestrian refuge on Sandgate Road.
- Reduce driver speeds and improve pedestrian safety with new speed cushions and the introduction of a 40km/hr zone.
- Make Shortland a nicer place to shop and visit with new footpaths, landscaping and seating.
We are also planning a community mural on the side of the pharmacy building on Hansen Place to celebrate Shortland’s character. This artwork will be developed in partnership with the community, and then be painted by local artists Up & Up.
Construction timing
Construction of our upgrade to Shortland Local Centre started in early November, beginning with upgrades to footpaths to improve access for pedestrians and shoppers.
An upgrade of the intersection of Sandgate Road and Mawson Street is underway, and is being delivered in collaboration with Transport for NSW.
We expect the overall project to be completed by Winter 2022.
As we deliver these works there will be diversions in place, and noise from machinery. Please follow the directions of signage and our team on site. Access to businesses will be retained.
Have your say on timed parking
During earlier consultation we heard concerns from the community about the availability of parking in the area and problems with waste collection. In response we asked the community for feedback on a range of options for additional timed parking restrictions in the area through an online survey which was open from Monday 18 October to Monday 8 November 2021. Visit our Have Your Say page to find out more.
The survey results will inform any changes to parking restrictions which are implemented in conjunction with our planned upgrade of Shortland Local Centre.
Project background
At the elected Council’s meeting of 27 November 2018 Councillors resolved to have a public domain plan prepared for Shortland Local Centre under the Local Centres Public Domain Infrastructure Renewal Program.
Improvements will include aspects of the public domain such as traffic and pedestrian safety, footpaths, lighting, trees and street furniture.
In April 2019 City of Newcastle officers met with the owners of businesses in Shortland to discuss their issues. We also reached out to the broader community for input to a community survey which was open from 15 June - 29 June 2020. To find out more about this consultation, visit our Have Your Say page.
The results of the community survey showed that traffic safety and crossing Sandgate Road safely is a major issue. In response to the community’s concerns we developed a Draft Shortland Public Domain and Traffic Plan which includes a 40km/hr High Pedestrian Activity Area (HPAA) on Sandgate Road between the 7-Eleven service station and the Hunter Valley Private Hospital.
The Draft Shortland Public Domain and Traffic Plan was on public exhibition from 22 February to 21 March 2021. We reviewed community submissions and the results have informed the finalisation of the PDP.
In response to community feedback from the Public Exhibition we have moved the proposed pedestrian refuge further south. Instead of being located outside the 7/11 service station, the pedestrian refuge will now be located outside 281 Sandgate Road. The pedestrian refuge and associated no parking zone (for sightlines) will take up approximately six on-street parking spaces outside residences in this area. This loss of on-street parking can be alleviated through additional timed parking restrictions. We are inviting the community to have their say on options for timed parking via a community survey, which is open until 8 November.
The final Public Domain Plan and a proposed Light Traffic Thoroughfare (LTT) were supported in principle by the Newcastle City Traffic Committee (NCTC) on 19 April 2021, and endorsed by the elected Council on 25 May 2021.
For an understanding of the overall project process view the Shortland Local Centre Public Domain Planning Process Flow Chart (pdf).
Latest News
21 February 2022 - Youth-led placemaking in Shortland is growing up - Source: Up & Up
18 October 2021 - Improved safety coming soon for Shortland local centre
31 May 2021 - Safety upgrades on the way for Shortland local centre
21 Feb 2021 - Shortland local centre upgrade plans out for feedback