Kanwal Caravan Park has been approved for a redevelopment that would allow 675 homes in unit blocks up to 12 storeys high.
Under new planning controls, the site’s height limits have gone from 12m to a range of up to 42m across the site and the floor space ratio has increased from 0.5:1 to 1.35:1.
Both Central Coast Council and the residents of Kanwal Caravan Park opposed the plan but it has been approved by the State Government under its Rezoning Pathways Program.
Objections included: increased traffic impacts and inadequate existing public transport or pedestrian connectivity, the height, bulk and scale in density of the proposal being inconsistent with the character of the area; and the impacts of the closure of the caravan park on the existing residents as well as insufficient replacement affordable housing.
The Department said it was satisfied that concerns raised by the community had been resolved or were capable of being resolved at development application (DA) stage.
DA stage is when the developer seeks approval for each building.
The Department said Transport for NSW had stated that the surrounding road network could be upgraded to accommodate the increased traffic.
Concerns raised about the increasing density will be addressed in any future DAs, which will be required to be supported by a design verification statement and a visual impact assessment.
The Department said these would be reviewed by a design review panel to minimise impacts and deliver “optimal planning outcomes”.
Changes made after the public exhibition period include a provision that 15% of each building will be affordable housing for at least 15 years and will be managed by registered community housing providers.
Now known as Wyong Village, it was formerly the Oasis Caravan Park at 205 and 207–209 Wallarah Rd, Kanwal.
The site has an area of about 5.3ha and is near Wyong Rugby Leagues Club.
The caravan park is owned and managed by Vivacity and contains 145 approved sites – 100 long-term and 45 short-term sites.
Residents have spent the past couple of years, since the proposal first came to light, worried about their future.
The Department said that under the current legal framework for caravan parks, there was a section that set out the rights and responsibilities of the operator and residents.
Under the Act the operator must give 30 days notice to residents before lodging a DA and once a DA is approved the operator must give a minimum of 12 months notice before termination of the site agreement with the resident.
The operator must make reasonable efforts to obtain or assist homeowners in finding alternative accommodation.
This may include the payment of compensation.
An Assistance Protocol for Residential Park Closures provides a framework for co-operation between agencies in providing assistance to people displaced by a park closure in order to assist to access the services they require and to prevent them from becoming homeless.
The Minn’s state government is destroying communities and these residents lives. This high rise development is totally unacceptable and inappropriate for the area, which is why it was opposed by the council. The roads in this area are already under stress and it is very easy to say the problem can be remedied, but who will pay for the road network to be upgraded?
Just as well I didn’t buy a relocatable home
I’m surprised they’re not upzoning the land around Wyong Station first. There’s a lot of R2 (single family) and R3 (medium density) within a 800m walk of the station – why upzone land in the middle of nowhere to R4 (high density) before land near a major train station?
I really hope the rapid buses from the transport plan get approved along with this, or at least some improvements to the bus network are made. It won’t end well if all those people have to drive everywhere
Heck, they could do a really good mini-Rosehill with the racecourse in Wyong. That’d house a lot more people, and they’d barely have to drive to anything
ok so what about the people who are renting in wyong village?
The problem is the Givernment agenda is based on what they want. The local community doesn’t matter. If you bring in the high numbers of overseas migrants that has been the case for several years, they have to be housed. If you are not happy with the development, you need to move. The Governmeny position will not change without a civil uprising to let the elected officials the path they are on is not appropriate for the local communities that are impacted.
Sorry but the Government Care factor is zero. Follow the money trail, it always highlights the hidden agenda.
Best of luck to all the unfortunate people who will be chucked onto the street by the development, to join the ever growing numbers of people suffering housing insecurity in our local community.
regards
Very concerned local resident
from Lake Munmorah
The Kanwal area is already congested and who really cares in the world we live in, definitely not the State Government of NSW.
I am sure none of the Rezoning Pathways Government Program staff will not be affected or have any disruption to their lives if this mistake goes ahead.
I cannot believe all those people are going to be made homeless whilst we once again, do another “Gosford” on the northern part of our shire. Gosford is a pitiful mess with all the highrise, now developers turn to the southern end of the coast. Totally inappropriate and certainly not welcome in what used to be our lovely Central Coast.
Wyong Village will suit this monstrosity another Wyong !!! Second in the state for domestic and family violence.. more mental health problems. The Hospital it overloaded ever try parking there ? Most park along the street.We don’t need more people with NO infrastructure inplace. Have a look at the sub-culture now at Lakehaven .. We are already called Mount Druit by the sea.Wake up council and do something..