LIGHT Regional Council has withheld its approval for a roundabout on Horrocks Highway, until two major Roseworthy developers can agree on a road linking their new housing estates.

At a special meeting, elected members were presented plans by Zarmen Pty. Ltd. (a Hickinbotham company) for a roundabout at the entry to the new Roseworthy Township Expansion (RTE) project.

The roundabout would provide an entry from the highway to one of Hickinbotham’s new housing estates immediately south of the existing Roseworthy township, as well as designated ‘employment land’ to the east.

However, elected members held-off on making a decision while the matter of an internal road, linking the Hickinbotham development to the new Roseworthy town centre (and Land Vision Group development) remained unresolved.

The two relevant developers, Hickinbotham and Land Vision Group were given two weeks (ending Tuesday) to submit a mutual position on the matter.

“Council notes… the importance placed on the provision of this internal connection… to avoid fragmentation in the development of the Roseworthy Township Expansion and avoid the need for future residents to have to enter and leave Horrocks Highway to access the Town Centre,” council’s motion states.

In the 2016 Roseworthy expansion concept plan, the subject intersection has a channelised (seagull) junction (plus left turn into residential), while a road is shown to link the Hickinbotham development with the new town centre to the south.

According to a council report presented to last month’s meeting, the newly-proposed roundabout would be accommodated on existing road reserve and Hickinbotham-owned land, and see a section of Horrocks Highway reduced from 100kmh to 80kmh.

Advice provided by the state transport department, an independent case manager and a peer review, supports the roundabout.

However, the concept is not supported by other landowners in the area, who express concern the change was not raised while the relevant infrastructure deeds were being finalised, and that the proposal will have a negative impact on the performance and delivery of the activity (town) centre.

Land Vision Group has already advanced its construction of a channelised ‘seagull’ intersection on Horrocks Highway, further south and closer to the town centre.

According to its motion, council will be advising the state transport minister of “weaknesses in the system in this instance, when the Department of Infrastructure and Transport refuses to be a party to Deeds which are providing state infrastructure”.

Council will also seek mandates for state agencies to be a party to infrastructure deeds that involve state infrastructure; and encourage the establishment of intervention protocols when members are not acting in the public interest.