A $90M development proposal to build Wyong’s first high-rise hotel tower to attract tourism of world-class standard to the region will be heard for the second time in the NSW Land and Environment Court later this month.
Since the original proposal to build a 26-storey hotel was first lodged in 2022 the development has been met with opposition by most of the nearby residents, Central Coast Council, the Regional Planning Panel and the NSW Land and Environment Court (LEC).
The common objection is that the development is socially, aesthetically and environmentally unacceptable, along with multiple issues of non-alignment with some planning controls.
There have been hundreds of submissions, with only a few supporting the high-rise hotel, mainly for the viability and value-add to Kooindah Waters estate as well as the potential for commercial enterprises and investment through tourism, events and conferences.
Following the LEC refusal in June 2023, amendments will be presented for another hearing set down for May 27-31.
Plans have been amended from the original 26-storeys with roof-top bar to a 23-storey building, including two levels of basement parking, restaurant, pool, bar and function centre with 80 serviced apartments and 83 residential units.
This is less than the original 97 serviced apartments and 98 residential apartments.
A new private road is also envisaged to deal with flooding evacuation access.
Carparking spaces have reduced from 453 to 209.
The overall Kooindah Waters estate at 50 Parry Pde and 40 Kooindah Bvde already comprises a championship golf course, Mercure Kooindah Waters Hotel with serviced apartments and more than 250 private homes.
Secretary of Kooindah Waters Community Association Jenny Walmsley says that the fundamental issues were the increase in population, flooding impacts, traffic and parking problems, and the massive height of the building not being in harmony with the surrounding low-lying residential area nor the bushland and natural scenic qualities.
“We always knew there would be development on lot 4 on the other half of the (existing) hotel and it would be all matched and low-lying with hotel accommodation only,” she said.
“A DA had been approved for a three-level place, and there was no opposition because that was all in keeping with what was planned.
“In about 2019 out of the blue we were approached with the notion of building a 28-storey building which threw everyone into a complete spin because of the implications for what was originally intended to be a residential estate with a boutique hotel catering for a golf course.
“We are opposed to building a massive high-rise in the middle of wetland … how do you build a 23-storey building on a swamp, because that’s what it is … everything (built) here was artificially raised by bringing in fill so the foundations are limited.”
Walmsley said flooding could be a problem and was concerned conclusions in the flood studies were based on modelling techniques.
“Modelling is fine but you also need to have some actual observations,” she said.
“In the past two successive heavy downfalls there’s been particularly bad flooding at the peripheral areas like Pollock Ave and the water levels in the ponds (in the estate) are getting higher and higher when it rains.
“The same thing has happened with modelling in the traffic reports … they have totally under-estimated how the traffic is going to be controlled and when you live here you know what the problems are.
“There is no on-street parking, there is very limited space on the narrow estate roads … the development will have only the legal requirement in parking and that just won’t be enough, I think they’ll be short by about 100 spaces, so where are all those cars going?
“If you put a big commercial entity right next to a quiet residential area there’s going to be an impact but it appears there is no social impact study (as part of the development application).
“This development is totally out of character with what we can sustain and what people living here are really comfortable with – already some people are saying that they’ll move if this goes ahead.
“Some people believe having this massive structure will increase their property values – I’ve got to say that the general view is that it would be nice to have our property values put up but not at the expense of quality of life and safety.”
Information about the Kooindah Waters tower proposal is on Council’s website (DA/1750/2022).
Sue Murray