Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, has approved adjustments to a planning proposal for a 300-lot housing subdivision adjoining the Lake Munmorah shopping centre following public exhibition.
The project has been in progress since 2020 and involves rezoning the land known as 6W Kemira Rd and 285-325 Pacific Highway, leading to various amendments to development control plans and the Greater Lake Munmorah Structure Plan.
They do not stray much further from the plan which was publicly exhibited earlier this year, with the only obvious changes being a road connection to Kemira Rd, Chisholm Ave being upgraded to a collector road as well as more landscape buffers along the highway and pedestrian pathways.
This development has already received a positive Gateway Determination from the NSW Government and now Council will proceed with a Planning Proposal for government approval so the developers can move forward with a formal development application.
The proposal is for housing on a minimum lot size of 450sqm in the residential zone and areas of high biodiversity value and drainage land to be zoned for environmental conservation with a minimum lot size of 40ha as well as a recreation zone for a 3,000sqm park.
A Council report says that a Planning Agreement, in lieu of developer contributions, will be to dedicate and embellish land for open space, upgrade Chisholm Ave and other local roads along with provision of a collector road to service the new development.
Peter Francis spoke on behalf of the developers at Council’s Tuesday night meeting, saying it was a $285M investment that over a five-year construction period would support 425 construction and ancillary jobs.
“New resident incomes will support 775 jobs annually in perpetuity,” he said.
“It’s an in-fill project between two existing residential estates adjoining the Woolworths shopping centre and educational precincts at Carters Rd, and the integration of environmental conservation and recreation areas will create a residential environment of quality living and active lifestyles for both existing and new residents at an affordable price point,” Francis said.
Helen Foster, who has lived in Chisholm Ave for 30 years, told the meeting the 2,200 vehicle trips per day (verified by Council report) would be a significant impact on Chisholm Ave, Kemira Rd and Deakin Ave.
“Kemira Rd and Deakin Ave need to be upgraded as the traffic flow through their streets is already queueing up to get out on to Tall Timbers Rd.
“The Greater Lake Munmorah Structure Plan indicates a road would be built behind Deakin Ave to link with Carters Rd and that plan would be more viable as it doesn’t affect any existing residents,” she said.
Council Director of Environment and Planning, Alice Howe, said at the Council meeting that the proposed location of the collector road in the Greater Lake Munmorah Structure Plan was indicative and subject to further detailed studies.
“Those studies in relation to this proposal identified that the Deakin Ave option would require relocation of high-voltage power poles as well as significant clearing of coastal wetlands and threatened species habitat including the Swift Parrot.
“Construction of a collector road off Chisholm Ave allows lesser traffic congestion at Carters Rd and the Pacific Highway and upgrades are proposed at Chisholm Ave including road widening, construction of a roundabout at the intersection at Tall Timbers Rd and construction of kerb and guttering and pedestrian pathways,” Howe said.
A Council report says that the development would also trigger an upgrade to the Tall Timbers Rd/Pacific Highway intersection but this would not be required until the release of the 181st residential lot in the subdivision.
The Central Coast Local Environment Plan will now be amended to reflect the zoning changes and a Site-Specific Development Control Plan Chapter will guide future development of the site.
Sue Murray