Woolworths delivery trucks would be forced to travel through Springwood's town centre along Macquarie Road if a supermarket proposal for the town is approved, a series of public meetings heard on Monday.
Traffic expert Dean Brodie said Woolworths' 12.5 metre delivery trucks would be unable to make the turn into the complex's Macquarie Road entrance travelling west so would have to drive through Springwood via the Ferguson Road underpass and then up Macquarie Road.
He was one of two expert speakers to address five meetings held under COVID-19 conditions at Springwood Country Club.
Robyn Gordon, part of a group of residents around Raymond and David Roads next to the proposed development, said the plan would change the town.
"This is a significant change to our neighbourhood and Springwood at large, and has broader impacts for the Lower Mountains community," she said.
These included traffic, parking, pedestrian safety, noise and light pollution issues.
Ms Gordon announced the existing supermarket in Springwood, the Supa IGA in Macquarie Road next to the post office, had provided support to the residents' campaign.
"This public meeting needed to happen for us to come together, share our views and voice any concerns. We've been supported to arrange this public meeting by IGA. We seek your support in retaining the village life we all know and love," she said.
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Urban planner Mike Cullen said the Woolworths building would be dominated by blank walls and its design wouldn't "add vitality and energy to the public realm". "Nor does it encourage people to leave the facility and go and shop in the rest of the village," he said.
Mr Brodie, a traffic expert and road safety auditor, raised other traffic issues including the "unusual" separation of the rooftop and basement car parks, which will be accessed via Macquarie and David Roads respectively.
"They're not connected. If one car park is full you go back out onto the street and make your way (to the other one)," he said.
Mr Brodie said it was also "unsafe" that delivery trucks would use the same Macquarie Road ramp as general traffic.
"In terms of the scale of the development and best practice design, you always try and separate your service vehicles from general vehicles and this design doesn't achieve that," he said.
The supermarket proposal is on public exhibition until July 29. Woolworths announced its plans for the site, next to the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub and the Oriental Hotel, in March this year.
The development proposal will be determined by a regional planning panel, not council.
