Use of character statements a sad joke

A new proposal by a State Government taskforce is proposing to deny the right of residents to have their say about neighbours building proposals.

Not much will change if this happens as at the moment although we are invited to have our say, Gosford Council guidelines are so generous to developers that objections are inevitably ignored because the outrageous developments fit the guidelines.

Take for example the recently approved (Holstein/Sansom) Residential Flat Building at 18 Nowak Ave, Umina.

"Construction of a two (2) storey Residential Flat Building consisting of three (3) large units" on a block that is 859 square metres.

Council's report states "the main objection of neighbours relates to the proposed two storey height, such being based on the fact that there are presently no existing two storey buildings in the street".

While this is in fact the case, many other streets in the locality contain two storey dwelling houses.

So we might as well screw Nowack as well.

Incredibly the councillors and council officers are content to ignore the Character Statements for the area which we were told were implemented, at great cost to Council, to protect us from this type of overdevelopment.

DCP 159 says: "These (streets) should remain leafy mixed-density residential areas, retaining a substantial proportion of single dwellings interspersed by new dual occupancies, villa units and townhouses." - Not flats.

"New building works should protect and enhance traditional qualities of the Peninsula's traditional garden suburbs where modestly scaled cottages and bungalows are surrounded by leafy gardens." - Joke.

This is an alarming new precedent for the Peninsula allowing further overdevelopment in our leafy neighbourhoods.

The neighbours lodged substantial argument against approval and were completely ignored despite this set of flats being clearly out of character with the area.

These flats will be left with enough space for a clothes line with no chance of "courtyards that vary in size and shape, and large enough to conserve prominent existing trees and provide space for new shrubs and shady trees."

If one tree is planted on this site it will be a first and yet it is supposedly a requirement for development consent. - Sad joke.

I drove past this block a few days ago and it is totally cleared and tiny.

I suggest you do the same.

Bryan Ellis, Umina