Fig 1 - Fremont St ridge from Molesworth St
EXISTING CONDITIONS - April 2000
Fig 2 - Ridgetop housing, Becker Place at Mt Ommaney
EXISTING CONDITIONS - April 2000.
Fig 3 - MONTAGE #1 - Fremont St ridge from Molesworth St
with one row of near-ridgetop houses.
Fig 4 - MONTAGE #2 - as per Fig 3
but with trees removed from escarpment top behind houses.
In reality, there would be additional rows of houses on the slope in front of and below the superimposed houses shown in the above montages. Under the current proposal, there would supposedly be a buffer of trees for 10m width abutting Fremont St (in front of the houses). However, housing would still still be visible down to approx. the yellow line in Fig 4.
The density of development, coupled with the steep slope (and earthworks cuts and fills required for roading and housing platforms), would allow very few existing trees and other natural vegetation to be retained in any new residential areas between the Fremont St buffer and the ridgetop.
Regarding trees supposedly to be left on the ridgetop itself and at the escarpment face, based on experience in similar situations elsewhere where trees on abutting public bushland obscure views, such trees are at risk of illegal removal, poisoning or ringbarking.
Fig 5 - Escarpment as viewed from Fig Tree riverbank
(QCL wharf in foreground)
EXISTING CONDITIONS - February 1999.
Fig 6 - MONTAGE #3 - Ridgetop housing superimposed on Fig 5.
Note that this is a potential worst case, if tree removal occurs at the ridgetop and top of the escarpment. (See notes to Fig's 3 & 4).
Note also, though, that only three houses are shown in this view. In fact, it is likely that some 17 houses would be visible along the ridgeline under the current proposal.