A second development application to place the HMAS Adelaide Mast at the Haven at Terrigal has been withdrawn from Council after an independent assessor would not recommend the plan.
Council held a meeting on January 10 with funders to explain the independent assessor’s reasoning.
According to the latest report to council, the project will be jointly funded by Council, the Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch, Wales and Associates, a grant from the NSW Government and in kind contributions from Thales and associates.
Discussions at the meeting identified inconsistencies with the design in the development application and the desired final outcome.
The group agreed that the development application should be withdrawn to allow for these inconsistencies to be rectified.
It was the second application to be withdrawn, with the first one withdrawn in December 2017.
A third development application will reportedly be submitted but council is waiting on advice from the community group on a time frame.
The idea was to install the Ex HMAS Adelaide mast onto a plinth footing, surrounded by a sandstone retaining wall, garden bed and a temporary flag post for use on commemorative days such as ANZAC day.
Council’s DA Tracker shows council received submissions from locals who thought the location was wrong.
“It is the only open space on the Coastal Haven Walk that remains totally natural and unencumbered by man-made fixtures. It is frequented by those seeking solitude, by picnickers, whale-watchers, wedding parties, early morning sun worshippers, romantics and lovers of nature,” said one.
Another said: “Locating the mast at the proposed site would create an eyesore, interrupting view of the natural cliff line, from all points in Terrigal. The Steel Grey Pole structure could not be considered a thing of beauty.”
The HMAS Adelaide was scuttled 1.8km off the coast between Terrigal and Avoca on April 13, 2011 and the mast given to council to erect as a memorial.
Things looked like they were underway in May 2018 when council resolved to install it on ‘’site one” at the Haven.
Cr Jeff Sundstrom asked at the May 2020 meeting why nothing had happened since then.
“In the ensuing 2 years we have seen no material evidence of any progress towards the installation of the mast,”’ he said.
“Memorial days have come and gone and come again, but still the mast sits in storage.
“The community has a right to see this icon installed ASAP, and if it is not to be installed as resolved two years ago then the community must be told why,”’ he said.
Source
Agenda item 5.4
Central Coast Council meeting May 25