Planning scheme on display in new year

Gosford Council's Draft Gosford Local Environmental Plan is expected to be put on public exhibition early next year, according to manager of integrated planning Mr Eddie Love.

The draft planning scheme has been returned to council recently around 18 months after it was sent off to the NSW Department of Planning for consideration.

Mr Love said council would need to respond to details of the plan addressed by the Department of Planning before public submissions were called.

He said council was "happy to have the plan back" after almost two years in waiting.

The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has stated it would make a comprehensive submission to council once the draft plan went on public exhibition sometime next year.

"Finally, after nearly two years, the new City-wide planning guidelines are a step closer to being placed on public exhibition," Mr Matthew Wales said.

"The business community has been waiting for some considerable time for the new planning controls and we welcome the news that the Department of Planning has now advised council that the draft document can be opened to public comment.

"However, we understand that council staff have yet to review the changes that the department has made and must still prepare a report to the council outlining the implications of those changes.

"From discussions with the department, there are a number of significant alterations that will need to be considered by the full council.

"Regrettably there are a number of planning issues which we now know were not addressed during the department's review of the plan and this has the building industry quite concerned.

"We understand that residential building heights across the Peninsula have been limited to eight metres and that some of the height controls and floor space ratios for commercial foreshore land in the Ettalong town centre have not been changed from the current controls.

"There is real concern that key catalyst sites in Ettalong Beach will not be provided with sufficient incentives to make them commercially viable."

Mr Wales said the Department of Planning had also returned a Development Control Plan to council for exhibition with the Gosford LEP.

"The City Wide DCP is the document that sets the urban design controls for future development," Mr Wales said.

"It is imperative that the council ensures that these controls are forward thinking and provide encouragement to land owners, builders and developers to improve urban design outcomes especially in our medium density areas.

"This is the council's big chance to make a difference for the future of the Peninsula and the Peninsula Chamber will be ensuring that a comprehensive submission is made on the new plans when they finally go on public exhibition."

Clare Graham, 15 Oct 2009 Interviewee: Eddy Love, Gosford Council Press release, 14 Oct 2009 Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce