Development controls included in a draft new planning scheme would permit higher density development in residential areas around Woy Woy.
The proposed change is directly at odds with the position of local community groups like Save Our Woy Woy. The draft Consolidated Central Coast Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan were placed on exhibition last week. According to the draft, the new objective for the R1 General Residential zone is “to promote best practice in the design of multi-dwelling housing and other similar types of development; to ensure that non-residential uses do not adversely affect residential amenity or place demands on services beyond the level reasonably required for multi-dwelling housing or other similar types of development”.
“Specific minimum lot sizes for multi-dwelling housing, residential flat buildings and attached dwellings are not set under the Central Coast Development Control Plan. “This form of housing can be managed through other provisions of the DCP chapter applying to these forms of development such as building setback, floor space ratio, open space requirements etc. “The removal of this clause, for these land-uses, will allow greater flexibility to encourage higher density development within the R1 zone. “It will also reduce expectations of unfeasible development where greater lot sizes would be required.”
The Council held its first information sessions on the proposed new development and zoning controls in Wyong and Erina on December 11 and 12. It has said it will announce more information sessions in the New Year but it is unclear whether any sessions will occur on the Peninsula. Council representatives will be available at Deepwater Plaza, Woy Woy, on Thursday, January 17 from 10:30am and 12:30pm to give residents information about the proposed consolidated development controls. Submissions from the public will be accepted until February 28. The consolidated plan has been placed on public exhibition two years after the new Central Coast Council resolved to prepare a planning proposal to consolidate the provisions of the Local Environmental Plans from the former Gosford and Wyong Councils.
The draft plan standardises matters not dealt with under current controls. “The preparation of a Consolidated Central Coast Local Environmental Plan is the first step in the process to preparing a Comprehensive Plan,” according to details on the Council’s yourvoiceourcoast website.
“A key principle to the preparation of the Plan was to ensure that the new plan where possible reflected the NSW Standard Instruments,” according to the website. “A new Central Coast LEP will simplify the planning process by reducing the number of planning instruments applicable to land in the local government area, removing duplication of planning controls and aligning, where possible, the land uses and controls within the current instruments.” The new plan retains all land use zones of the current GLEP 2014.
“GLEP 2014 does not include the RU6 Transition, R3 Medium Density Residential, R5 Large Lot Residential, B7 Business Park, or IN2 Light Industrial zones. “These zones are proposed to be retained and the objectives and land uses within these zones will be included in the CCLEP. “Minor changes are proposed to be made to the existing GLEP 2014 zone objectives and permissible land uses. “The only land use that is prohibited in all zones within the LGA is heavy industry.” The land uses of sewage reticulation system and water reticulation system have been included in all proposed zones excluding SP1 and SP2 as permissible with consent.
“The land use of water recycling facility has been included in all proposed zones excluding SP1, SP2, W1 and W2 as permissible with consent. “This is to ensure that adequate infrastructure and effective servicing can be provided within these and adjoining zones.” Under R1 and R2 recreation areas will be permitted without consent when GLEP permits them with consent. In the R2 low density residential zones, GLEP objectives that were not in the Wyong controls have not been included. For B1 Neighbourhood Centres, the planning proposal said some objectives within GLEP 2014 relating to centre hierarchy were too specific and conflict with the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036, which moves away from centres hierarchy.
According to the draft plan, “dwelling houses and residential flat buildings are an underutilisation of valuable and finite land resource, zone potential and may prevent the orderly economic development of land in the B1 zone. “As such, the use of B1 land for these land uses is not considered necessary or appropriate.” Part 3 of the consolidated Central Coast Local Environmental Plan will identify the circumstances when development can be undertaken without consent (exempt development) and as complying development. Part 4 will cover the development standards for minimum subdivision sizes, height of buildings and floor space ratios. This part will also identify circumstances when the development standards may be altered or varied.
“For dual occupancy development, it was proposed to rely on the DCP provisions to control minimum lot sizes; however, the introduction of the Low Rise Medium Density Housing Code has resulted in a minimum lot size of 400 square metres applying where no minimum lot size is specified. “To ensure that lot sizes and densities are appropriate and compatible with the local context a minimum lot size such as that set out in the GLEP 2014 should be included in the CCLEP; 550 square metres is considered appropriate for attached dual occupancy as currently specified in the GLEP 2014. “A minimum lot size of 700 square metres has proven to be appropriate for detached dual occupancy as currently applicable under the Wyong DCP 2013. “The Central Coast DCP will provide further guidelines for Dual Occupancy Development.”
SOURCE: Website, 13 Dec 2018 One local environmental plan, Central Coast Council