Character considered for Pearl Beach house

Gosford Council has approved the development of a house in Diamond Ave, Pearl Beach, following its meeting on September 9.

Following an inspection by Cr Geoff Preece, it passed the application for development.

Cr Preece said that he had some concerns about the removal of cabbage tree palms.

The applicant had submitted to council landscape plans showing a two to one ratio of new plants to those removed, in line with Council's vegetation management policy.

A staff report highlighted the character of the development site and the surrounding area.

"The subject site is located within the 'Wooded Footslope' character place in Pearl Beach," the report stated.

"Architectural styles in this 'character place' and in Diamond Rd where the subject site is located vary from traditional fibro cottages to brick and tile housing constructed in the 70s and early 80s (some of a project home nature) to individually designed houses.

"The character of the area is created not by the individual houses themselves or the materials from which they are constructed but by the way they sit within the landscape, below the tree canopy which is near continuous."

The Council report also noted that in Diamond Ave, Pearl Beach, wide garages should not dominate street frontages.

"The garage for the proposed development occupies over half the building frontage.

"Its dominance is further accentuated as it projects forward," the report stated.

"The applicant proposes to reduce the dominance through the use of landscaping, heavily planting the street frontage, planting to partially screen the garage when viewed from the street and use of an informal crushed granite drive."

The Council report set out conditions in line with these concerns and recommended approval.

Council agenda DH 081, September 12