A proposal to rezone land on the northern side of Barralong Rd, Erina from low-density residential to business development has been rejected by Gosford Council.
The 3.6 ha site is currently made up of older houses, some of which are being used for home businesses that don’t require Council consent.
“The applicant has not demonstrated a need, strategic basis or the suitability/capability of the subject land for a business zone,” said a report to the ordinary meeting of Gosford Council on Tuesday, July 28.
The report, prepared by Council’s department of governance and planning, said the proposed intensification of land use from low density residential to a business zone would result in an increase in road conflicts onto the busy Barralong Rd.
“There is a large, current potential for expansion of business development within existing zoned business areas of Erina Town Centre under Gosford Local Environment Plan 2014,” the report said. “This will be reviewed as a result of the Erina Town Centre and strategic growth corridor planning.
“The subject land occupies a strategically important part of the Erina Town Centre area and any zoning of this land without the resolution of land uses in the surrounding area is considered premature and without strategic context,” the report said.
“The planning proposal is pre-emptive of Council’s investigations to expand the Erina Town Centre as part of the strategic growth corridor planning. “The planning proposal is pre-emptive of the Department of Planning and Environment’s preparation of the Central Coast Regional Growth and Infrastructure Plan due for public exhibition later this year,” it said.
The report also stated that approval would preempt the outcomes of the review of the Erina Creek Floodplain Risk Management Plan.
The applicant, Stevens Group, would be informed of Council’s decision and of their right to seek a review under the NSW Government’s pre-gateway review procedure.
Agenda item GOV.92, 28
July 2015
Gosford Council
ordinary meeting