DA Discussions

Caring for the planet is vital for our survival, so the United National declared on World Environment Day (5/6/19), and we all have the opportunity to express that care by thinking globally and acting locally.

It’s no secret that there are a few ‘environmental types’ that lurk amongst the shrubbery within our community, many don’t overtly label themselves as such but you get a sense that this community does care about our neighbours, the lake, the bushland, and the wildlife that call our peninsula home. These features are some of the main attractors for living here and contribute to the premium on property pricing. Leafy -friendly suburbs are sought after for their calming qualities, leafy - lakeside living has the added aquatic bonus.

So what happens when your neighbourhood becomes a speculation zone and property is purchased not with the intent of being a part of the community but to tear apart the community, destroying the beauty and the very reason for its unique character? Neighbours become not-so-nice, hard surfaces echo where birds don’t, rain fall turns into a torrent as it cascades in piped culverts down hill pluming the lake brown till the sediment settles.

Each month in the Chronicle a list of Development Applications (DA) is compiled from LMCC’s Application Tracking website as a community service to inform locals what is happening in our own backyard. The listing started when the council’s notification requirements changed so that only adjacent neighbours to the DA would get notified, and only then if council deemed it to have an impact. If taken to the extreme a house could be built and no one would know till construction started.

In the last month the CPPA has been thanked for providing this service on one hand, alerting neighbours to a local subdivision and being asked to not include a DA on the other hand, because the neighbours got upset. This resulted in the Committee discussing the criteria that determine what gets on the list that is published in the Chronicle and seeking feedback from the community as a whole as to what is a useful service.

The discussion so far as to what makes the list is anything that affects the character of the area, this includes subdivisions, multiple dwelling housing, housing demolitions and tree removals. Have we got it right? Please let us know what you think about the DA listing, drop us a letter, post on facebook or an email. 

Letter to Council: Amended DA 1274/3013

I object to the amended application DA1274/2013 on the following grounds.

The amended plans for DA1274 do little to reduce the overall impacts of this large development on the local community.

It is acknowledged that there has been a reduction in the number of units to enable access to the site and address the inability of garbage collection to be undertaken which were problematic in the original application.

The bulk and scale of the development remains a problem. Any gains made in the amended application by the ‘reduction in size and footprint of the two storey terraces’ were negated by the addition of an extra 2-storey terrace.

The increase in the number of structures to accommodate the level changes across the site is sensible in that it will reduce the overall cut and fill requirements however this does little to address the overdevelopment of the site and removal of all existing vegetation.

The increase in size of the communal area is acknowledged however the location, surrounded by the access road may not be conducive to public enjoyment and its size to service the entire development which contains only small private spaces may still be inadequate. If the intent is to reduce the visual impact from Laycock Street it will achieve this.

The landscaping plant schedule does little to support the existing wildlife corridor. Native shrubs could be used to increase nectar sources and habitat potential within the development. Introducing more exotic species compromises the local bushland and landcaring efforts.

The proposed stormwater management plan states that 1.73ha of upstream catchment will be diverted around the site in a pipe network which will ‘connect into the existing stormwater pipe…maintaining the existing runoff regime. The capacity of the existing pipe to accommodate the runoff generated by the development is of concern. Within the past decade this pipe has reached capacity on several occasions and caused flooding of adjacent properties.

In addition the original concerns from previous correspondence still stand.

Yours Sincerely

Name:

Address:

Date:

Lots to say about Carey Bay!

A total of 81 community submissions were lodged with 79 opposing the development at Carey Bay. Due to the number of submissions received the development application will go before Council for approval i.e. the decision will not sit with a Council Officer as delegated authority… but in the meantime the developer has some work to do. 

On 15/10/13 Lake Macquarie City Council posted a ‘Request for Information’ to the developer in order to adequately assess the proposed 26 dwellings on Laycock St. A 12 page document, identifying LMCC’s concerns about the proposed DA is available for viewing on LMCC’s Application Tracking website and via this link. 

LMCC’s ‘Request for Information’ stated in its conclusion (p3) “an assessment of the development application has found it to be deficient in terms of owner’s consent, information provided to enable a detailed assessment, and were an assessment has been undertaken the proposal has been found to be of poor quality design. Further, a number of the areas of deficiency or poor quality design where identified as significant issues to be addressed at a Pre-lodgement meeting of 27 February 2013. Also a significant number of submissions have been received objecting to the development proposal. Therefore in its current form there is no option but to determine the development application by way of refusal.

In this regard, it is required that the development application be withdrawn, the required specialist reports be prepared, the design be reviewed and a Pre-lodgement meeting be convened prior to re-lodgement of the development proposal. Should additional information be submitted for the application Council may proceed to determine the application without any further negotiation.”

There was a suite of concerns that need to be addressed under headings of Ecological values, Ecological Corridors, Scenic values, Tree Preservation  & Management, Bushfire Risk, Sloping Land & Soils, Erosion Prevention & Sediment Control, Energy Efficiency, Noise & Vibration-Air Quality, Stormwater Management/On-Site, Stormwater Harvesting, Operational Waste Management, Vehicle Parking provision, Car Parking Areas & Structures, Access, Streetscape & local Character, Landscapes, fences, Building Siting, Form  & Design. Many concerns also reflected the proximity of the Childcare Centre to the proposal.

The Progress Association and Sustainable Neighbourhood Groups are keen to use this opportunity to discuss what could be possible on the site. If you have an interest or expertise in sustainable development please contact either group via Nico Marcar by phone 40231978 or email nico.marcar@gmail.com . 

Better Planning Network

The Progress Association recently joined the Better Planning Network,a network of 200 state-wide local communities, organisations and individuals striving to achieve a better planning system for NSW. The Better Planning Network is not affiliated with any political party and recognises that:

1. Community engagement in decision-making is essential at every stage of the planning and development process.
2. Protecting our natural and cultural heritage is fundamental to the wellbeing of our communities.
3. Development must put local residents and communities first.
4. Strategic planning must be evidence-based.
5. Development must comply with strategic planning instruments.
6. Infrastructure goes hand in hand with development.

BPN’s contact email is betterplanningnetwork@gmail.com. They are on Facebook too

-->

Suggestions on how to be involved include: 

• Organise a meeting of your group membership to discuss the NSW Planning Review (make sure you give attendees a list of how they can voice their concerns or have laptops available at the meeting so people can email letters straight away)
• Forward BPN emails (particularly BPN calls to action) widely- to your group membership, as well as to your community networks- family, colleagues, friends, neighbours etc. Email the Premier http://betterplanningnetwork.good.do/nsw/email-the-premier-2/
• Talk to your family, friends and neighbours about what is happening and ask them if they can send a letter to their MP or to the Minister for Planning (there is a template on our website - betterplanningnetwork.good.do )
• ‘Like’ us on Facebook and ‘share’ our posts with your friends (https://www.facebook.com/BetterPlanningNetwork )
• ‘Follow’ us on Twitter and ‘retweet’ our posts where appropriate ( @BettPlanNetwork )
• Email our YouTube video to your group membership and community networks: http://www.youtube.com/user/BetterPlanning
• Encourage others to join the BPN email database by contacting us at betterplanningnetwork@gmail.com
• Liaise with your local media and keep trying to get the NSW Planning Review into the news