50 During the processes of the application, the permit application was referred to the council's traffic engineers who conditionally supported the proposal from a traffic perspective. The Responsible Authority in its draft conditions, proposed that there be a right turn ban from the basement car park entry, preventing vehicles leaving the site travelling towards Manningtree Road. This was not a requirement contained within the referral advice from council's own engineers, and was opposed by the permit applicants.
51 The proposed condition is essentially the Responsible Authority's response to the concern of objectors about the impacts of traffic from the development on the residential area to the south. We would need to be satisfied that traffic from the proposed development had significant adverse consequences for the residential area to the south, if we were to so arbitrarily restrict the access options of future residents of this development.
52 On the basis of the submissions before the Tribunal, it appears that New Street, Manningtree Road and Drill Street carry moderately high volumes during peak hours for local streets because of "rat running" traffic. It is not clear that this traffic is unwanted through traffic, it may be the case that it is traffic generated by residents from the broader area, or people moving to and from some of the various institutional uses which exist within the area.
53 Ms Dunstan conservatively estimated that the proposed dwellings would generate approximately 400 vehicles per day. Ms Dunstan further estimated that this traffic would split fifty/fifty, north and south in Drill Street, and then a further fifty/fifty east and west in Manningtree Road.
54 Manningtree Road is somewhat busier than residential streets less closely connected to arterial roads and which do not provide a means of access to schools and other institutional uses. It is therefore understandable that residents are concerned about the traffic impacts of the proposed development. Nevertheless, existing traffic in Manningtree Road could not be said to be beyond an acceptable volume, and the additional traffic associated with this development is unlikely to have any serious perceptible impact on the perceived amenity of the locality arising from the movement of traffic on the local residential streets.
55 Drill Street is a narrow street with parking on one side, passing vehicles are required to take considerable care, and in most cases will take advantage of breaks in the row of parked cars afforded by crossovers and the like. It is quite likely that there will be some increase in the incidents of conflict between vehicles in Drill Street consequent on the development of the current proposal. Such conflicts may require some management, for example a change to parking restrictions. A more likely outcome is that motorists will adjust to the change in circumstances, and in the unlikely event that the conflict causes some noticeable increase in delay, then some motorists will choose another route.
56 Ms Dunstan's assessment of the impacts of the proposal, and the referral responses of the Responsible Authority's own traffic engineers, confirm the Tribunal's opinion, based on its own experience, that the traffic implications of the current proposal are entirely manageable.