LANKARAMA DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REPORT YEAR 2001/2002
The most important achievement of the committee during the year was the development approval received from the Blacktown Council on 28th June 2002.
The Council negotiations commenced when we had a pre-submission meeting with the Council on 24th July 2000. The response of the Council officers was positive and encouraging. As the Council later indicated that the structure should be moved away 40 meters from the creek, we successfully negotiated with the Department of Land and Water Conservation in January 2001 to reduce the distance to15m.
However, we could not submit the Development Application till September 2001 due to extensive community consultations to arrive at a consensus on type of structure, priority over construction of a Dharmaslawa and the cost. Throughout the nine-month period after submission of the development application, the we negotiated with the Council on various issues. We had a meeting with the Council in January 2002 and the Council requested the location to be shifted as the high flood level contours runs over the original location. We moved the location and lifted the floor above flood levels and resubmitted the drawings in March 2002. Then the Council re-advertised the development as the height was slightly increased. The Council raised technical issues such as traffic generation, environmental issues such as visual effects and noise generation, and political issues such as the structure being out of character. The neighbours also raised several objections to the construction. While addressing these issues, we had to push the application through the various branches of the Council. Finally we received the approval in June 2002.
Immediately after the submission of the development application, the committee started detailed designs of the project by engaging designers from various disciplines within our community.
The design team met over 10 times and finalised the designs immediately after the development approval was received.
We engaged a private consulting company to carry out geotechncial investigations. The design drawings (18 nos) were submitted to the Council on 20th July 2002 to obtain a Construction Certificate.
We must appreciate the fact that all these works were carried out on voluntary basis sacrificing valuable time reserved for personnel and family matters to save thousands of dollars for SLBVA and the community.
We were able to submit the building application three weeks after the DA approval was received. Currently, we are in the process of reviewing drawings and preparing specifications and tender documents in order to call for tenders as soon as the construction certificate is received. We like to mention here that Chaithya design and construction actually started in August 2001, when the final decision to construct a shell structure was taken.
We investigated the feasibility of getting fiberglass models for Pesa walalu and Koth Karalla from Sri Lanka and compared the cost with various other options including engagement of a pre-cast contractor.
Project Details Height of the Chaithya =
14.1m (46 ft) Diameter of the Chaithya = 7m
(23 ft) Area (inside) =
38.5 m2 ( 414 ft2 ) Estimated construction
cost =$180,000 Total estimated cost
(including project management and design costs) =$250,000 Critical Events/Critical
Dates Community Consultation = Jan
2001 to Aug 2001 Date of submission of the
DA = 13/09/01 Date of DA Approval = 28/06/02 Date of submission of BA =
22/07/02