The proposed SES Facility in Stroud is a new modern facility capable of supporting the volunteers during training and operations as well as storing all of their equipment ready to use. The building is funded using a $2 million grant from the NSW Government.

The preferred location for the proposed facility is on the section of the unformed road reserve in what is Gloucester Street, immediately south of Memorial Avenue, next to Allen Park.

The current SES facility in Booral is insufficient to meet the needs of volunteers and store all their equipment. This is even more so now that they are road crash rescue accredited. It is also well away from most current volunteers and isolated from the main Stroud town area during major flood events.

The unformed road reserve in Stroud was chosen as the preferred location for several reasons, including:

• Accessibility – the proposed site has direct frontage to Memorial Avenue and is near Cowper Street (The Bucketts Way), making it easily accessible for volunteers to respond to emergencies.
• Utilities – the site is well serviced with sewer, town water, power and telecommunications.
• Proximity - the location is in the middle of the town area but not immediately next to residences, making it accessible for residents to give or obtain information and support (like sandbags) during an emergency while minimising the potential conflict with residential properties.
• Availability and cost - there is no additional cost in using the road reserve for this facility, and it can be used immediately to meet the grant funding timeframe. Vacant land in a more suitable location is difficult to locate and expensive to buy.
• Flood free – The proposed site is flood-free, allowing access in an emergency up to and including the modelled major flood events. The community will continue to be able to access the SES during all events. Further, the site is close to the helipad facility at the western end of Broadway Street.

The shortest distance from the proposed facility to the nearest residence is approximately 60 metres.

The grass surface was scraped off the proposed site to allow completion of the investigation as part of the design work for the building proposal. This does not mean that a final decision has been made. The final decision will be made by elected Councillors who will receive all the feedback received from the community.

The proposed lease for the unformed road reserve where the facility is planned to be built is currently on exhibition for feedback. After receiving submissions, the matter will be reported to the Council for a formal determination at an ordinary Council meeting.

The council and the SES are working with the building designers to finalise the proposed design before it is displayed to the community for feedback. The elected councillors will then decide if the project will proceed when they formally consider the merits of the proposed facility together with all the feedback from the community. If approved by the Council, tenders will be called to appoint a builder for construction. Physical construction work will not likely start onsite until the middle of the year at the earliest.

: Using alternative council-owned land for the SES facility would limit the potential for any other future use. The land on Britton Court Road is zoned Special Purpose (Infrastructure); it is also isolated during major flood events, making it unsuitable. The other vacant land that the Council owns in Stroud is zoned residential and is surrounded by existing residences, making it less desirable for an SES facility.

Consideration was given to the purchase of an alternative site. The availability of vacant land in Stroud is limited. Sites more suited to the proposed SES facility are not available. If an alternative site was purchased, additional funding would be required for the project as the grant only covers building the new facility.

Redeveloping the existing site in Booral isn’t preferred as the site is well away from most volunteers and the community it supports. In a major flood event, Booral is not accessible from Stroud. The unit currently stores a lot of its equipment at private residences in Stroud so that it is available to respond to emergencies quickly.

: Council is required to support and assist the SES and the RFS, particularly in relation to their facilities. Technically, under the legislation, the Council owns SES facilities, and the SES controls them. Council also has a role as the default road authority for all public roads, which means we have to administer the requirements of the Roads Act when it comes to leasing the unformed road to use for the facility.

We have considered the proposal's potential impact on the heritage aspect of Stroud. The building is approximately 30m from the rear edge of the Cenotaph. When viewed from the front of the Cenotaph, the building will be behind the brick amenities building and partially screened by existing trees in the reserve. We have received some heritage advice that the proposal will not adversely impact the Cenotaph.

The building designers have been working to minimise the visual impact on the proposal. The roof pitch has been reduced to provide the minimum possible building height while catering for the range of SES vehicles and equipment likely to be used at the facility. A verandah has been added along the side of the building facing the park, with additional windows and horizontal cladding to the lower wall sections to add to the character of the building.

We are also preparing some images with views of the building overlayed on photos from various locations to give residents a better sense of the proposed building's size and scale and what it will look like. Once we have completed the design, more details about the proposed building will be circulated to the community ahead of an opportunity for personal discussions with impacted or interested residents and broader consultation with the community.

: The proposed Stroud SES facility will replace the existing SES facility in Booral, making it no longer needed. The old demountable office building is at the end of its useful life. It could be transported to another site for reuse. The RFS may use the two-bay shed as part of their existing facility on the same land.

The proposed SES facility in Stroud will allow the unit to maintain good connections with the community and provide a visible public profile. It will be more accessible for residents, especially during emergencies. The facility won’t be isolated from the community in an event. It is also quite close to major roads and the helipad on Broadway Street, often used to evacuate rescued people requiring urgent medical attention.