Church allowed time extension

Gosford Council has given the Coast Community Church at Bensville until the end of August to submit a final plan for a school hall on Bundaleer Cr.

Residents from the area asked council to refuse the application at the August 5 meeting due to a lack of consultation with the local community and the expiration of council's previous six-month extension.

However, church representative Alan Reynolds argued that: "Enormous progress has been made, but the time frame was unrealistic."

The architect who is submitting the revised plans to council assured the mayor, Cr Robert Bell, that the plans would be submitted to council on Friday, August 22.

Council then decided to give the applicant until August 31 so that any extra documents that needed to be produced could be submitted.

If all documents are not submitted by August 31, council officers have been given delegated authority to make a decision on the fate of the hall.

The church will be required to complete surrounding road works or face legal action in the Land and Environment Court, regardless of the status of the school hall extension.

The plans had to be re-submitted because council previously decided that the scale of the original plans, which included a church and large hall, was too large for the site and was not in line with the village character of Bensville.

Cr Tony Sansom moved that the extension be granted.

He said: "We're talking about 17 days now for the revised application.

"Given that the church has been deleted, this has been done in consultation with council and residents, and that the consultation will be on-going.

"The revised plan will come back with just a school.

"It would be very unfair of this council to deny them (the applicants) when they have come this far.

"We're not talking about experienced developers here. They are a community organisation," Cr Sansom said.

Cr Lynne Bockholt took a contrary position.

She said: "This has already had two extensions.

"Even with the church gone, I would not be satisfied with the size of the hall.

"Council has not said what size development they would accept on the site."

Cr Daniel Cook said that he had some concerns with the original application, but was prepared to keep an open mind and see what came back.

Cr Craig Doyle said that long extensions had already been granted, so the final short extension was all that could be granted.

"What we're going to grant here is 10 days short of a year.

"It is not council delaying tactics.

It is extensions requested for one reason or another.

"I'm willing to allow another 17 days, but that's it.

"It's worthwhile having a look at the plan," Cr Doyle said.

Jonathan Reichard, August 7