What would you pay to live at Carey Bay?

The Threatened Species Last Stand on the Coal Point Peninsula project appears to have been aptly named. 

A Development Application (DA) has been lodged for 26 multiple dwellings at Carey Bay in an area identified as ‘the rehabilitation corridor’ on LMCC’s Corridor mapping. 

It will be up to the community to make ‘a stand’ to protect and retain the local wildlife corridor.

The development proposes to clear native vegetation including most of the 71 trees on site to construct

• Fourteen 1 storey villas
• Twelve 2 storey terraces

The notice to the residents states “The purpose of the design is to provide a mix of dwelling types and sizes to provide new housing choice primarily for existing local residents wishing to downsize from their large detached home but still remain in the area”.

The scale of this project is larger than the recently completed Lakewood development on Laycock Street, due to the area of land being smaller. A ‘compact’ design is being proposed. 

Neighbours adjacent to the proposed development are concerned about loss of amenity, privacy and the canopy-corridor that supports the abundant wildlife as well as impacts upon the existing sewer and storm water systems.

The Coal Point Progress Association and Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group have concerns about the scale and impact of the development on the local community, existing infrastructure and wildlife corridor, whilst acknowledging it would be ‘good for business’ at the Carey Bay shops.

The proposal and its impact on the community will be discussed at the next meeting of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood group, on Wednesday 9^th October 5-6.30pm Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd.  The discussion on the development will start at 6pm. 

It is recognised that the majority of residents will not attend the above meeting so this Chronicle will outline some of the concerns that have been already identified and provide options to make your thoughts known to LMCC by the 11^th October.

...But first a Declaration of Conflict of Interest. 

Writing this Chronicle is Suzanne Pritchard, I live adjacent to the proposed development, am the Project Manager for the ‘Threatened Species Project, President of the Progress Association and Committee member of the Toronto Sustainable Neighbourhood group. 

When I first moved to Carey Bay 24 years ago the area was zoned low density residential and there was a Council owned corridor of public land over the gully which channelled water from the Quarterdeck down the hill and under the preschool and off to the Carey Bay wetlands.

Alas, the public corridor and the low-density zoning have both changed and the remnant bushland that is now medium density zoning and creates part of a viable wildlife corridor has 26 dwellings proposed upon it.

Having commented on several DA’s on behalf of the Progress Association community, obtained a $250,000 grant to restore the local wildlife corridor and connected my backyard to the corridor through native plantings, my concerns over the proposed development are both personal, community and environmentally based. 

Neither myself nor the organisations I belong to are opposed to development per se. There is merit in urban consolidation and some innovative designs that display foresight and environmental compatibility and sustainability are available. The issue here is the style of development and the impact on the existing residents, the community and the environment. 

Why comment?

According to LMCC’s Lifestyle 2030 Strategy, Lake Macquarie aims to be a City “that practices participatory democracy and is well governed where there are diverse mechanisms for enabling citizens to have meaningful and empowering input into key decisions that affect their lives in Lake Macquarie.” This Chronicle is an attempt to enable the community to participate in the DA process.

The CPPA met with LMCC planners in 2011 to gain insights into the DA process. . One of the findings from that meeting was that the assessment of a DA’s impact is highly dependent upon the number of comments that get received during the exhibition period. 

How to Comment

In commenting on a DA, short letters stating your broad concerns or a detailed document outlining multiple issues are both valid. If you object to a development you do need to say ‘I object’.

All the development documents for the 26 Multiple Dwellings at 20 Laycock Street can be viewed online at  http://apptracking.lakemac.com.au/modules/ApplicationMaster/default.aspx

A letter summarising some of the concerns of the Progress Association has been provided in this Chronicle to facilitate community members to comment. The Progress Association applied for and received an extension to the notification period.

The deadline for submissions to be received at Council is 11/10/13. 

The letter can be signed and posted as is, edited or sent as an email to council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au and to the  West Ward Councillors 

• Daniel Wallace dwallace@lakemac.nsw.gov.au mob: 0429 610 290
• Ken Paxinos kpaxinos@lakemac.nsw.gov.au mob 0409 896 619
• Wendy Harrison wharrison@lakemac.nsw.gov.au mob 0409 775 432
• Rosmairi Dawson rokeno@lakemac.nsw.gov.au mob 0417 300 170