A TEMPE Public School pupil has made an "urgent appeal" to meet with the Minister for Metropolitan Roads, Natalie Ward, ahead of a key decision in the controversial Tempe Bunnings development.
"The government is talking about sending thousands of cars down a narrow street past our school each day," said sixth-grader and school vice-captain Lily Cobb in her video message to the minister.
"I really want to meet with the minister so I can show her how narrow the street is and how dangerous this idea would be."
READ MORE: Decision imminent on Tempe Bunnings
The proposed Bunnings, set to be Sydney's biggest, will occupy a converted warehouse on the corner of Smith Street and the Princes Highway, but the local community worry an estimated 4500 cars entering or exiting the store will use narrow roads nearby as a rat-run to the store.
Union Street, which many Tempe Public School students like Lily walk up and down every day to get to and from school, is one of the roads which could be impacted.
"It's such a wonderful community here, the kids all play together on the street - it's like the good old days," said Jude Cobb, Lily's mother.
"We've always felt safe to let them visit each others' houses without helicopter parenting them. We feel like the extra traffic from Bunnings will be a recipe for disaster."
The NSW Planning Panel is set to meet on March 31 to decide whether the Bunnings can amend the conditions of their planning approval so construction on the store can go ahead without an agreed traffic safety plan. Bunnings is requesting the traffic safety plan be made a condition of opening, rather than of construction.
However, the community worries if construction begins their preferred safety solutions - such as an extra set of lights - would be out of the question as the layout of the store's entrance and exit would already be set in stone.
"We feel disappointment, and quite unheard. We do get emotional, but we try and keep it rational with all our responses. We're not against the Bunnings, we just want traffic to be managed," said Ms Cobb.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne and Marrickville councillor Mat Howard met with concerned members of the community last week. Cr Byrne said councillors were working "in close collaboration" with the community to prepare a submission to the planning panel.
Asked whether she planned to meet with the Tempe community ahead of the panel's March 31 decision, Ms Ward declined to respond. A Transport for NSW spokesperson said they were "taking the community concerns seriously " and working with Bunnings and council to find a solution.
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