THE $20-million Terminus Street bypass of Castle Hill is still embroiled in controversy, with no end in sight. It's a case of crisis meetings, lawyers at 50 paces and gamesmanship galore between the RTA, doctors and the council.
Legal tussles loom and more disruption to residents and businesses seems certain. The Hills Shire council needs the eastern ring-road approved so it can move on to transform Castle Hill into the ``Paris of the North-West''.
This involves the refurbishment of Old Northern Road in the CBD with footpath-dining and a traffic-calmed pedestrian-friendly ambience lit by wondrous lighting and featuring airy trees.
But the RTA is up to its old tricks.
Suddenly, it refuses on safety grounds to take over the ring-road, despite endorsing the original plan by signing off on four safety audits, the latest in February.
In May, an RTA executive inexplicably changed his mind. There was suddenly a safety problem where previously it did not exist.
Then there's the Castle Hill Day Surgery which wants to expand its premises.
The RTA now says the exit from the surgery's underground car park into Terminus Street at a sweeping bend in the new ring-road is a potential safety hazard.
Cars from the day surgery will exit the corner building into two lanes of heavy traffic in peak hours, with T-bone accidents likely.
``Why couldn't the RTA have foreseen this problem before?'' a council insider asked.
``They originally gave the proposal a big tick and the surgery was built to take into account the sweep of the ring-road. Why is this now a sudden problem? Any busy street in Sydney has similar building exists.''
The doctors' group behind the day surgery wants a compromise, an offer easy for the council to refuse.
In confidential documents, they say, in effect: ``We want direct access to the council car park via a hole in our wall to give us a new way in. Patients can then exit their cars into McDougall Lane.''
The council, via its lawyers, has responded: ``Not on your Nelly.'' The council insider said: ``The council car park between Terminus Street and McDougall Lane is the key to the future of Castle Hill. It's the only centralised and major potential building site left. It's the hub of the visions espoused over time by both the Labor and Liberal councillors. They all envisage underground parking and high-rise above, with perhaps the council chambers relocated to central Castle Hill, shops, businesses and apartments. We can't devalue our asset by giving it to the doctors and we can't create a precedent.''
The council has offered a compromise. It's prepared to put in stop-go traffic lights in McDougall Lane, where the surgery centre has car park access.
But the doctors want more.
The plot thickened late last week when, in response to the council's advertised expressions of interest in the car park which were put out two weeks ago, the day surgery group wrote to the council.
It wants to extend the premises into the car park.
By Friday a petition to the council of 40 to 50 signatures from staff at the day surgery was drawn up and presented to Cr Greg Burnett.
``It appears the day surgery wants to extend their facilities into a hospital,'' Cr Burnett said.
It is understood that the concept plans have already been drawn up for this proposal.
While the lawyers hover as a legal case or two looms, it's more disruption as usual for residents and businesses.
But at least the last layer of bitumen is being laid on Terminus Street.
But the doctors want more.
The plot thickened late last week when, in response to the council's advertised expressions of interest in the car park which were put out two weeks ago, the day surgery group wrote to the council.
It wants to extend the premises into the car park.
By Friday a petition to the council of 40 to 50 signatures from staff at the day surgery was drawn up and presented to Cr Greg Burnett.
``It appears the day surgery wants to extend their facilities into a hospital,'' Cr Burnett said.
It is understood that the concept plans have already been drawn up for this proposal.
While the lawyers hover as a legal case or two looms, it's more disruption as usual for residents and businesses.
But at least the last layer of bitumen is being laid on Terminus Street.
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