The landowner of Woy Woy Bowling Club, Mr Tony Altavilla, has expressed his disappointment at Central Coast Council’s decision to intervene in the development assessment process for his proposed Seniors Lifestyle Residential Complex and new club facilities.
Mr Altavilla was commenting on Council’s decision to make representations direct to the Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel. “My proposal is currently before the Panel which consists of highly professional consultants who make merit-based decisions free of political and personal agendas,” Mr Altavilla said. “Although Council can make representations, the Panel already has access to the Council staff’s internal assessment which is also a merit-based review of the plans and reports,” he said. “It is my view that the elected Council should stand at arm’s length from the Panel process and allow them to undertake their own review without outside political interference. “Political agendas should have nothing to do with this process. “That is why the Panel was created, so as to ensure local politics and personal agendas did not interfere with professional planning decisions. “My architect and planning consultants have worked diligently to design a beautiful Lifestyle for over 55s residential complex with licensed club facilities to accommodate the growing need for a choice of retirement living, rather than sprawling nursing homes and retirement villages. “Our proposal is compliant with Council’s planning regulations and we have accommodated all the changes Council has requested from us. “The existing Sporties Club is not financially viable in its current form and the redevelopment of the site with high-quality seniors housing to underpin the proposal is the only solution to saving the club,” said Mr Altavilla. “If the site is not redeveloped with a smaller and more efficient club facility, it will no longer survive and will ultimately close. “I have a huge personal and financial interest in seeing the club survive which is why I have been so determined to come up with a high-quality compliant development that will deliver seniors housing to the local community and a club facility that will prosper into the future,” said Mr Altavilla.
SOURCE: Media release, 20 Feb 2018 Debra Wales, Media Consultant