A plan to create a 246-lot residential development in Mardi that has already been knocked back by Council will come under scrutiny this week by the Regional Planning Panel.
The $53.5m project, which covers a 223-hectare site at 414 Old Maitland Road, has moved to the Planning Panel with a recommendation for refusal from the Council.
Correspondence from the Council that included 49 points of concern was sent to the applicant – listed as Steven Group – alongside 53 submissions that included 39 objections.
Areas of concern included: environmental impact; loss of biodiversity and wildlife; flooding impacts; loss of green spaces; overdevelopment, and that it was a development west of the M1 that fell contrary to previous policies.
It was also considered to be out of character, while issue regarding traffic impacts were also raised.
Despite this, the applicant advised that it did not wish to withdraw the application.
The application seeks an Initial Torrens Title Subdivision to create two lots.
One lot of approximately 168ha would contain zoned E2 land which is to be the subject of a Stewardship Agreement, and the second lot of about 56ha would contain the land for the subdivision.
There are five development lots representing each stage in the subdivision with both stages one and two comprising 54 lots, the third stage with 59 lots, the fourth with 65 and the final stage five comprising 14 lots in a Neighbourhood Scheme.
The application said that while the site represents the only residential land west of the M1 freeway, all services would be available to future residents within a few kilometres.
Tuggerah Westfield is approximately three kilometres to the south, for example.
According to the DA from Stevens Group, the lots closest to Old Maitland Rd will be offered as 1,800sqm parcels to ensure the subdivision “blends with the surrounding rural landscape.”
The entire site, which was predominantly grazing land in the past with the farmhouse still being used, was the subject of a rezoning proposal over an extended period of time in 1999.
When the process first began, development was being sought over the entire property including the ridge tops, side slopes and valley floor.
As investigations proceeded, agreement was reached with the various government agencies including the Office of Environment and Heritage (2015) and Wyong Council (2016) regarding the developable portion of the site.
As a result, a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) was entered into between the landowner and Wyong Council in 2016.
The valley floor was rezoned predominantly R5 large lot residential with a central corridor zoned E3 Environmental Management.
The remainder of the land, some 168ha is zoned E2 Environmental Conservation.
The VPA includes the upgrade of the Potters Gully Fire Trail and the Mardi Dam West Fire Trail, the payment of a monetary contribution to Council to construct and to upgrade the Mardi Dam West Fire Trail.
Nicola Riches and Merilyn Vale