UNCLE to the CBD (2 Viewers)

[cannibal.horse]

The much-anticipated 'renewal report' for Newcastle's CBD has been released, recommending cutting the inner-city rail line at Wickham.

The State government last year commissioned the Hunter Development Corporation to investigate ways to rejuvenate Newcastle over the next 20 years.

The report can be downloaded from here and ABC Newcastle would like to share your views on it, in the comments section below.

Do you think the recommendations will be a good thing for the future of Newcastle? What do you make of what has been said by the city's leaders so far on ABC Newcastle?

Inform your response by listening to interviews under "related media" on this page, with the Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle John Tate, chief executive of the Hunter Business Chamber Peter Shinnick, chairman of the Newcastle City Centre Committee Edward Duc, as well as other interested parties.

Newcastle MP and Minister for the Hunter Jodi Mackay says the report recommends moving and expanding Newcastle University into the CBD, and relocating the State's justice facilities to the Civic Precinct.

It also endorses the redevelopment of Hunter Street Mall and the inner-city retail precinct, removing the heavy rail between Newcastle Station and Wickham, and opening up the rail corridor for pedestrians and cyclists.

Ms McKay has described the recommendations as "catalyst projects" to transform the CBD.

She says opening up the rail corridor for pedestrians and cyclists is an important part of the transformation.

"For all of that urban renewal to occur it then says that the heavy rail line from Newcastle station needs to be moved back to Wickham," she says.

She says it also recommends bringing more than 70,000 university students and 1000 thousand staff members to an inner-city campus.

"It recommends that there would be significant benefits gained by moving the business and law faculties of the University of Newcastle campus in to the city centre.

"And that would be probably the most significant catalyst for the redevelopment and renewal of Newcastle."

The Hunter Business Chamber has welcomed the plan for the inner-city and says the plan will bring life back to the Newcastle CBD.

The chamber's chief executive Peter Shinnick says the State and Federal governments must now commit to funding the project.

"The business community has been pushing for the resolution of the rail line issue for some time," he says.

"It's well known that the CBD has moved down to the waterfront because of the accessibility issues across the rail line.

"What we've not got is a report that's been provided by all of the transport experts that says the rail line does need to be pulled back to Wickham.

"That's a good solution, that's a good outcome for the city, but of course nothing is going to happen until the funding for this is provided."

Mr Shinnick says moving Newcastle University's faculty of business and law into the city - along with a new justice precinct - will bring life to the CBD.

But he says the State government has already indicated it can't fund the project without Federal government help and both need to commit to making it happen.

"Well this report has been considered by cabinet and it's now been publicly released so one would presume that it's been endorsed by the NSW cabinet," he said.

"The key issue now is to resolve the funding of this . . . it's now an issue of the NSW and the federal governments coming together and providing the funding for making this happen."

The Hunter Development Corporation is calling on all levels of government to commit to funding the revitalisation of Newcastle's CBD.

Where? the fuck; am i. going, to park!

 

[The_highwayman]

Where? the fuck; am i. going, to park!

presumably they'd include parking as part of the redevelopment.
Alternatively, park at callaghan and catch the train from warabrook to civic.

But i'm all for moving you suit-wearing monkeys into town.

anything to rejuvenate central newcastle is a good idea to me.

EDIT: if they cut the rail line at wickham, it's still only a 5 minute walk to civic.

i like the rail line to central newcastle though.

would LOVE for it to be underground but that'd never happen due to the proximity to the harbour and the number on mines that zigzag beneath the city.

 

[cannibal.horse]

presumably they'd include parking as part of the redevelopment.
Alternatively, park at callaghan and catch the train from warabrook to civic.

But i'm all for moving you suit-wearing monkeys into town.

anything to rejuvenate central newcastle is a good idea to me.

EDIT: if they cut the rail line at wickham, it's still only a 5 minute walk to civic.

i like the rail line to central newcastle though.

would LOVE for it to be underground but that'd never happen due to the proximity to the harbour and the number on mines that zigzag beneath the city.

I'm down with it, cept for these reasons:
1) I object to being moved so businesses/retail can mooch off me.
2) I dislike the multiple campus approach to uni - would prefer to be all clumped together like UNSW/USYD.
3) Considering the current circumstances I don't trust either the council or university to provide adaquate parking.

The idea of parking at callaghan and travelling by train also fails, not only is it an epic walk from the parking to the train station but the trains themselves hardly run on a regular basis.

 

[Will Shakespear]

hopefully all the old grumpy ppl will die fairly soon and then newcastle will be allowed to have skyscrapers

then we could get a tower

 

[The_highwayman]

I'm down with it, cept for these reasons:
1) I object to being moved so businesses/retail can mooch off me.
2) I dislike the multiple campus approach to uni - would prefer to be all clumped together like UNSW/USYD.
3) Considering the current circumstances I don't trust either the council or university to provide adaquate parking.

The idea of parking at callaghan and travelling by train also fails, not only is it an epic walk from the parking to the train station but the trains themselves hardly run on a regular basis.

Dude, there is a free carpark right next to the warabrook station.
And the trains are pretty regular. About 3-4 times each hour

 

[Hagaren]

lol ok how about law/science degrees.

 

[cannibal.horse]

hopefully all the old grumpy ppl will die fairly soon and then newcastle will be allowed to have skyscrapers

then we could get a tower

I guess I'm one of those old grumpy people.

The new development area is a complete eyesore.

 

[cannibal.horse]

Dude, there is a free carpark right next to the warabrook station.
And the trains are pretty regular. About 3-4 times each hour

But could that pissy little carpark cope with 10K or even 5K of students? also the uni's hardly built for that much traffic.

And around midday the trains start to run on the hour. I'd know as I'm always missing them

 

[The_highwayman]

hopefully all the old grumpy ppl will die fairly soon and then newcastle will be allowed to have skyscrapers

then we could get a tower

actually, the height restriction on the civic side of the railway line (as in, not the honeysuckle side) is already quite a bit higher than on the honeysuckle side.

I think it'd be a nice idea to have a tower for the uni.
put the architecture school to work.
also, the current tallest building in newcastle is only a short distance from civic anyway (about 1 block) so building up there would work well aesthetically.

this, combined with a major transport hub in wickham would see the westerly shift of the CBD move across the railway line in the hunt for land ripe for development. There isnt really any more space in honeysuckle that is unaccounted for but there's plenty of derelict old buildings in newcastle west/civic that most of us wouldnt be upset to see disappear.

EDIT:

But could that pissy little carpark cope with 10K or even 5K of students? also the uni's hardly built for that much traffic.

parking is a major and compulsory consideration for any new development. it will be taken into account.
also, if there is demand, cityrail will make more services available.

 

[cannibal.horse]

parking is a major and compulsory consideration for any new development. it will be taken into account.
also, if there is demand, cityrail will make more services available.

(I don't? trust; the fuckers.)"

But seriously, Newcastle Council, Cityrail and the uni itself are fucking notorious for providing inadaquate public transport and parking. Working together they probably couldn't organise themselves out of a wet paper bag.

 

[The_highwayman]

in all honesty, if the trains are running every hour, on the hour
and classes run every hour.
where is the problem?

 

[cannibal.horse]

in all honesty, if the trains are running every hour, on the hour
and classes run every hour.
where is the problem?

But they don't run on the hour!

My problem is this: driving to callaghan across a busy uni to get on a train which will either get you there an hour early or an hour late is really really really not efficient.

If by some miraculous miracle they did fix the trains, or the buses, or the parking I'd be down. But they probs won't, so I'm going to maintain my 'don't like change' position.

 

[em_516]

Isn't business and law already in the CBD? My mate was complaining about this last year (previously it was only some classes). Good riddance tbh though.

Tim, Science/Law students (and others in a similar situation) will have to travel to both campuses.

 

[cannibal.horse]

Isn't business and law already in the CBD? My mate was complaining about this last year (previously it was only some classes). Good riddance tbh though.

Tim, Science/Law students (and others in a similar situation) will have to travel to both campuses.

I read somewhere else they were planning to move arts as well.

Luckily I'll be gone by the time they pull this shit off.

 

[blue_chameleon]

Fucking trust the council to give thought to this idea once i've graduated! I would have much preferred to have been in the city, away from the armpit-haired, deoderant-allergic, love and peace and nude-bike-riding socialist hippie scum.

Also, the parcel of land that the campus was built on is atrocious! Poor gradients, dense bushlands and shrubbery and it's away from the city. Great thinking, Newcastle! I really hope for future students sake, they adopt the idea of moving the campus into the city where there's a chance for a more vibrant and energetic learning environment.

and less mozzies.

*reading through the coverage of this topic in todays Herald*

 

[blue_chameleon]

Hey, lets do nothing and keep Newcastle CBD in the doldrums that it's in, for another 30 years!

 

[The_highwayman]

But they don't run on the hour!

My problem is this: driving to callaghan across a busy uni to get on a train which will either get you there an hour early or an hour late is really really really not efficient.

If by some miraculous miracle they did fix the trains, or the buses, or the parking I'd be down. But they probs won't, so I'm going to maintain my 'don't like change' position.

that's a positive attitude you've got there man.
Seriously, all of this will have to go through a stage of public consultation. If you're concerned about parking, let them know. This is why we live in a democracy. Dont just expect people to make the decision you want without letting them know your point of view.

Isn't business and law already in the CBD? My mate was complaining about this last year (previously it was only some classes). Good riddance tbh though.

I'm pretty sure only postgrad business and law is. Not sure though.

I read somewhere else they were planning to move arts as well.

Luckily I'll be gone by the time they pull this shit off.

I just read the first half of the report and then skimmed the rest. It seems that only Law is targeted as a priority (in line with the relocation of state and federal justice departments from newcastle east to civic). There is then suggestion that social sciences and performing arts could be moved as well. I'm all for each of these faculties. I think most people that are doing a double arts/law arts/science degrees do one degree first then the other second anyway.

Performing arts would also be great in town. You've got the conservatorium of music and civic theatre right there.

And i dont mind that i'll probably be out of uni by the time this all happens. I dont see myself moving very far from newcastle anyway for any extended period of time but i'd still be able to benefit from the revitilisation.


the report also recommends that the stockton ferry route extend from queens wharf, to a stop at lee wharf and then at wickham. such an extention could compensate for the cut rail line. It would supply the tourist/historical districts in newcastle east (queens wharf), the cultural/education district (civic) and the business district (stewart ave/hunter st) at wickham. It looks like a really exciting plan to me.

 

[cannibal.horse]

that's a positive attitude you've got there man.
Seriously, all of this will have to go through a stage of public consultation. If you're concerned about parking, let them know. This is why we live in a democracy. Dont just expect people to make the decision you want without letting them know your point of view.

I will, but again I've had so many bad experiences with public transport services in the hunter its not funny. A week ago my mother contacted cityrail newcastle to alert them that the school was taking 70 students by train to a performance at X time and would require an extra carraige. The answer was 'no' then they said they'd refer it onto a higher authority. It's been in limbo ever since.

I just read the first half of the report and then skimmed the rest. It seems that only Law is targeted as a priority (in line with the relocation of state and federal justice departments from newcastle east to civic). There is then suggestion that social sciences and performing arts could be moved as well. I'm all for each of these faculties. I think most people that are doing a double arts/law arts/science degrees do one degree first then the other second anyway.

Performing arts would also be great in town. You've got the conservatorium of music and civic theatre right there...

Whilst at first I flipped out about this cause I feel uncomfortable with change, on second thoughts this is a good plan. If some of the colleges moved up to the town as well there would be a completely different feel.

If its law they want then that's silly - all of the 4th 5th year subjects are down there anyway, and the 1st-3rd year subjects are run on campus (which is handy as in the first few years most of your subjects are for your other degree).

The transport issue needs to be looked at tho, and the council must also make sure that Oliver isn't inconvenienced.

It's exclusively elusive, loosly wrapping scars...

 

[em_516]

Tbh I still love Callaghan but the CBD would be nice. RMIT is spread out in the city over a few blocks <3

A week ago my mother contacted cityrail newcastle to alert them that the school was taking 70 students by train to a performance at X time and would been an extra carraige. The answer was 'no' then they said they'd refer it onto a higher authority. It's been in limbo ever since.

Public transport does not care for private education. Did not have this issue at my high school.

I'm pretty sure only postgrad business and law is. Not sure though.

Nah, tis not, but now I'm wondering if it was only 3rd year and up. Though I'm sure my mate said it was all of them. P'raps not.

 

[blue_chameleon]

Tbh I still love Callaghan but the CBD would be nice. RMIT is spread out in the city over a few blocks <3


Public transport does not care for private education. Did not have this issue at my high school.


Nah, tis not, but now I'm wondering if it was only 3rd year and up. Though I'm sure my mate said it was all of them. P'raps not.

Yes, RMIT is a good example!

They have buildings amongst the city that add that "contemporary" feel to the city, and a lot of the buildings blend in quite well (apart from the main uni building, with all its colours and shapes). With the right amount of private enterprise and additional investment, I could see UNCLE providing the same feel.

And lol Oliver, that's not Hunter Cityrail's fault. That's a mixture of your schools over reliance and Cityrail's under performance in customer service. It's not an isolated problem with the Hunter dude.