A decision on the consolidation of two allotments and the construction of a six-storey shop top housing development at The Entrance has been deferred.
Applicant Design Cubicle Pty Ltd on behalf of owners M Rammal and A Nasrallah submitted the $6.5M proposal for 12 residential units with three ground-floor retail tenancies and associated basement car parking at No. 15-17 Coral St, The Entrance.
Off-street parking is proposed to be provided in a new three-level basement parking area with vehicular access provided via Farrell Lane at the rear of the site.
The Local Planning Panel wants the written consent of all owners of the land confirmed and suggests the applicant includes EV charging points in the basement.
It also wants the existing rear Right of Way dedicated to Council as a public road, like other sites to the east, and confirmation on whether de-watering of the site is needed, and whether this would trigger the need for approval by WaterNSW.
Due to the flat nature of the land and its limited ability to drain via a gravity system to the lake, there are known overland flooding issues in the local catchment due to insufficient drainage capacity of the existing network.
The application states stormwater will be captured on the roof and directed via the existing stormwater drainage system, meaning the development is unlikely to have adverse impacts on the biophysical, hydrological, and ecological environment.
The development will be 0.9m or four per cent higher than the permitted 23 metres.
“This minor height exceedance accommodates a lift shaft, deemed as a by-product of appropriately servicing the building,” the application says.
“A secondary point encroachment of 100m (RL 26.70) is also sought to accommodate a small portion of the staircase.”
The proposal also has two car spaces or 12 per cent less parking than guidelines permit.
The applicant argued that the site is located within easy walking distance of a variety of bus services into and out of the local area which can also be used to interchange with interconnecting train services at several railway stations such as Gosford, Wyong and Tuggerah.
“The site is also located within The Entrance Town Centre and in close proximity to shops and services and the proposed retail component is intended to cater for the local residential and business community who are located within walking distance of the site,” the proposal says.
The site, an area of 1,093m2, is located at the intersection of Coral St and Torrens Ave.
The deferral was made at the March 14 meeting and the proposal will return for a determination at a future meeting, “comprising the same Panel members, as far as is practicable and as soon as practicable”, the minutes show.
Merilyn Vale