Changes to high-rise units at Long Jetty vetoed

Revised architectural plans for a high-rise residential development at Long Jetty have been knocked back by the Local Planning Panel.

The developer wanted to eliminate in-ground basement car parking and raise the height of buildings by five metres.

Back in 2004, the former Wyong Council approved the original development to construct seven buildings up to 10 storeys high with 217 residential units, a swimming pool and three basement levels including two levels of parking for 356 vehicles and a gym and meeting room on basement level one adjacent the car park entry.

There will be 61 three-bedroom apartments and 156 two-bedders within the seven multi-storey buildings linked by courtyards and communal open spaces.

The 12,026sqm development site is on a prominent corner position extending 108m along Kitchenner Rd, 67m along Toowoon Bay Rd and also taking in 11 Centennial Ave.

The development will be built in three stages with the first being a three-storey building facing Toowoon Bay Rd stepping up to a maximum five-storey building in the western portion of the site, as well as a four-five-storey building stepping up to a maximum seven storeys at the corner of Toowoon Bay Rd and Kitchener Rd.

In the second stage there will be a four-to-five storey building fronting Kitchener Rd stepping up to a maximum seven storeys and another four-to-five storey building (with a three-storey component) fronting Kitchener Rd stepping up to a maximum seven storeys in the eastern portion of the site.

The third stage comprises three buildings – the 10-storey building central to the site stepping down to six levels in the northern portion of the site; a two-storey building stepping up to five levels and another three-storey building.

Over the years there have been a few modifications to the original plans and in April this year the developer lodged another set of alterations under Section 4.55 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act which allows for modifications as long as the development is substantially the same as the original consent.

When the Local Planning Panel met on September 14 it came to the conclusion that the application to modify the plans was not substantially the same development for which consent was originally granted.

Architectural drawings in the application showed the changed heights and levels but didn’t explain why the developer wanted to move two car parking levels to above ground.

The Panel said the Statement of Environment Effects didn’t provide adequate justification for the increase to building heights, and the amended building height and large new podium structure wasn’t compatible with the zone objectives nor the desired future character of the locality.

There is insufficient detail about the modifications such as the building’s footprint, elevations, sections, floor space ratio, pedestrian access, landscaping and overshadowing of neighbouring properties to enable a proper assessment of the impacts of the modified proposal, the Panel said.

The Panel upheld Central Coast Council’s recommendation to reject the modifications as they were not in the public interest.

Sue Murray