A planning proposal, intended to reshape the Gosford CBD, and started by the former Gosford Council, is being taken to its next stage by the Central Coast Council.
The proposal, new draft planning controls and a new Voluntary Planning Agreement Policy, aim to realign zoning within the CBD, and then to use incentives to encourage development to revitalise the city’s new Commercial Core. According to the proposal, $750 million worth of DAs for the Gosford CBD were lodged in the 2015- 16 financial year, but most were in B4 Mixed Use zoned land, surrounding the city’s Commercial Core.
“Consultations with owners of the main … redevelopment sites have indicated that, having regard to depressed city property prices and the difficulties … in accessing development fi nance, development incentive measures are required to encourage any substantial redevelopment within the Commercial Core area,” the draft planning proposal said. According to Council’s Group Leader of Environment and Planning, Mr Scott Cox, “the proposed rezoning and amendments to the Gosford Development Control Plan (GDCP), seek to create a distinctive skyline while preserving view lines to the ridge tops and activating streets and public spaces”.
He said the amended plan would ensure the building design for the Gosford CBD reflected its status as the region’s capital. “We have a vision of what the future built form of the CBD could look like: taller, slimmer buildings around the new Commercial Core of the CBD, Kibble Park, with activated public spaces so people can live and work in the city centre,” Mr Cox said. The proposal’s aim “is to amend Gosford LEP 2014 by rezoning certain land within the Gosford City Centre from B3 Commercial Core to B4 Mixed Use, and certain land from B4 Mixed Use to B3 Commercial Core.
” The amendments will “provide development incentives for land zoned B3 Commercial Core within the City Centre by introducing …a time-limited bonus ‘pool’ of floor space and/or increased height” for DAs that meet certain site and design criteria. Current GLEP 2014 height and floor space controls will remain the “base” controls, but a pool of 150,000 square metres of bonus additional gross floor area would be available to any B3 applicant.
A minimum site width of 40m and minimum site area of 2,800 square metres would be site requirements. To protect views of the ridge line, the maximum height will be RL 99 for any development wishing to apply for additional fl oor space. Applicants will also have to comply with design excellence development controls and provide signifi cant public benefi t. Council wants to encourage Commercial Core DAs that don’t result in building projects being commenced but not completed, by putting two year time limits on activation and development consents in exchange for the additional floor space and/or height. If development had not commenced and/or a consent condition relating to the provision of public benefit was not complied with, the consent would lapse, and any bonus fl oor space would be returned to the “pool” for use by other applicants.
The planning proposal involved the re-alignment of the CBD away from the train station and towards the waterfront. “In the 1960s to 1980s, lot sizes, ownership patterns and a range of other decisions led to the major retail focus being around Kibble Park. “The development of signifi cant administration buildings … during this period, further drew the focus of the centre of the city away from the railway. “This trend has continued with the State Signifi cant Site … at the southern end of the city… and several recent large development proposals which include more traditional city centre uses such as retails, commercial, cinemas/auditorium, hotels etc being located away from the station.”
Council proposes to rezone the area currently zoned B4 Mixed Use on blocks bounded by Henry Parry Dve, Donnison St, Dane Dve and Georgiana Tce to B3 Commercial Core. Street blocks bounded by Erina St, Albany St, Donnison St and Henry Parry Dve would also be rezoned from B4 mixed use to B3 Commercial Core. Blocks bounded by the railway, Erina St, Henry Parry Dve and Faunce St would be rezoned from B3 to B4 Mixed use. A number of signifi cant land parcels are already located in the proposed new B3 area, including the Imperial Centre, Kibbleplex, Union Hotel, Waterside etc. “These lots are better placed to act on any bonus incentive controls and assist with Council’s aim of centre revitalisation in the short time.”
The proposal undertakes to ensure: taller buildings are located appropriately for view corridors, view impacts and “in a manner that is complementary to the natural topography of the area”; and that buildings and public areas continue to receive satisfactory exposure to sky and sunlight. Design excellence includes “a high standard in urban design and landscape design, interior design, construction and historic preservation”. Following submissions received during the first public exhibition of the proposal, it will now allow for minor variations to height for Architectural Roof Features on certain projects.
“Taller buildings should be considered in terms of their design and consequent impact within the broader context, their immediate surroundings, the site, the building itself and how they interact with the street at a human scale,” the proposal said. “It is therefore proposed to prepare development controls based on design excellence which will apply to all development applications proposing to utilise the Commercial Core Incentives Clause.” For instance, it is proposed that taller towers would be located along Mann Street, with surrounding streets decreasing in height. The amalgamation of lots “to facilitate quality urban design outcomes and transitions to surrounding development” would also be encouraged.
Overshadowing and wind impacts would be minimised and sunlight and sky views protected for streets, parks, public and private open space. Relationships to other taller buildings would be considered, including the cumulative effect of multiple towers on solar access, views, amenity, comfort and a quality public domain. According to the proposal: “Applicants seeking to utilise the proposed clause will receive signifi cant capital value uplift through the increased heights and densities available under the clause. “Council intends to ensure that part of this capital uplift is shared by the whole community …via the signifi cant public benefi t requirement of the proposed clause.” The draft Voluntary Planning Agreement policy is also available online. Any agreed public benefi t would have to be provided prior to the issue of a construction certificate.
“If this condition is not complied with within the two year consent period, then the development consent would lapse.” Council would review the bonus provisions clause when development approvals for bonus fl oor space within the B3 Commercial Core zone made since May 2015 reached 120,000 square metres. Any bonus fl oor space already granted for the Mariners Plaza 108-118, 120A Mann St, Gosford (DA 46256/2014) and the Waterside development 50- 70 Mann St (DA47046/2015) will be deducted from the available pool. Any other development approved prior to the adoption of the proposed provisions would be treated in a similar manner.
Written submissions may be made to Council before 5:00pm on December 16. Submissions will be considered by Council between December 2016 and February 2017 and a plan submitted to the NSW Department of Planning to fi nalise in March so the amended plan should be in place by April 2017. The draft planning proposal and Gosford DCP amendments can be viewed online at haveyoursaycentralcoast.com.au , under Items on Public Exhibition. The item is called Planning Proposal for Gosford City Centre Bonus Incentives Amendment to Chapter 4.1 Gosford City Centre of Gosford Development Control Plan 2016 and Voluntary Planning Agreements Policy for Gosford City Centre.
Media release, Nov 21, 2016 Central Coast Council media Website, Nov 30, 2016 haveyoursaycentralcoast.com.au /items on public exhibition Jackie Pearson, journalist