Central Coast Council is to prepare a planning proposal which will allow a restaurant at Mount White to expand by adding tourist attractions and accommodation across the road.
The proposal will allow Saddles Restaurant, the main tourist attraction of the site at 20 Ashbrookes Rd, to operate as an Additional Permitted Use (APU) under the zoning rather than its current ancillary use to Saddles Garden Centre.
It will also seek APUs for a restaurant, small bar, day spa and hotel or motel accommodation across the road at 231 Pacific Hwy.
A garden centre, restaurant and carpark were approved for the Saddles site in 2016, with construction of Saddles Restaurant to operate as an ancillary use to the garden centre approved in 2018.
Alterations and additions to the garden centre were approved on February 2, 2022.
Prior to the Saddles Garden Centre and Saddles Restaurant being established, Princeton Nurseries had operated on-site since the 1990s.
The site across the road, at 231 Pacific Hwy, was formerly a petrol station.
By 1965, the petrol station had been converted into the Hawkesbury Inn.
On July 2, 2021, Council granted permission to demolish and the site is now vacant.
A Council report said no impacts are expected to be generated by the expansion on adjoining rural living/ primary production use along the northern boundary or adjoining horse stables
The proposal received the nod from the Local Planning Panel (LPP) on August 8.
The development will involve the removal of an estimated 0.26HA of native vegetation which is below the threshold for requiring a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR), the report to the LPP said.
The panel suggested nor more than a two-storey structure would be appropriate.
It also suggested a Visual Impact Analysis should be prepared prior to exhibition to inform the Development Control Plan (DCP), including recommending design principles to achieve an attractive development, addressing views from the Old Pacific Hwy and any public viewpoint and street frontage.
Source:
Central Coast Council agenda, Aug 23, item 2.7