The Local Planning Panel has upheld a recommendation from Central Coast Council to refuse an application for a six-storey affordable housing development at 176 Gertrude St, Gosford.
The proposed development would have contained 16 residential units, comprising 12 two-bedroom apartments and four three-bedroom apartments, with 18 car spaces, nine bicycle spaces and a waste storage area.
At its meeting on May 11, the panel refused the application for a residential flat building, noting that Council’s report detailed attempts to contact the applicant in February and March this year.
The applicant was notified of the upcoming panel meeting and given the opportunity to register to address the panel by letter on May 3 but did not respond to any of the letters, providing no opportunity to discuss any modification of the proposal which may have remedied Council’s concerns.
“The panel supports affordable housing in principle but agrees with Council that there are unresolved matters with this application that prevent its approval,” the meeting minutes said.
The application was therefore refused on a number of grounds.
The panel said it did not comply with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 in regards to nominated gross floor area, with no formal request to vary the development standard.
There were also concerns on significant variations to side setback controls.
“As a consequence the relationship of the built form to the street and the adjoining properties is unacceptable in terms of privacy, massing, overshadowing, and streetscape presentation,” the minutes said.
“Insufficient information has been provided to demonstrate how the site will function, manage its impacts and address site constraints in terms of driveway/vehicle access, water management and stormwater, and impact on the sewer line.
“The applicant has also failed to demonstrate that waste trucks can safely access and exit the proposed waste service area given the steep grade of the site.”
The panel found the proposed development was not in the public interest and voted unanimously for refusal.
Terry Collins