Tesrol lodges plans with Minister

Tesrol has taken its proposal for an eight-storey beachfront development at Ettalong direct to the Minister of Planning as a "Part 3A" application.

The proposal which is a variation of a design rejected by Gosford Council is now being exhibited by the Department of Planning for public comment.

The Council will have no say in the determining the application.

The $27.5 million project is described as "a mixed use development over two stages".

Stage 1 includes a seven storey plus mezzanine mixed-use building with 45 residential apartments and basement, ground-level and mezzanine parking.

"Stage 2 includes a two storey retail/commercial building with at grade parking."

The application proposes five one-bedroom apartments, 34 two-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom apartmetns, 93 parking spaces and 1421 square metres of retail and commercial space.

The development would have "heights ranging from three storeys adjacent to the shoreline to an eight-storey tower to assist in view-sharing and reducing the bulk of the development", which was in line with an "urban design and massing strategy".

In a letter to the Director-General of Planning, Tesrol's development director Mr Nigel Fox said: "This project has had a long history, without much success."

He claimed that the Department of Planning accepted the proposed design but "Gosford Council have advised that they have not amended their draft LEP to reflect PUDS, and as such the site continues to be restricted by the same controls that have been in place since 1968".

He also blamed "a Local Member" for correspondence from the Minister's office in 2006 revoking Council's SEPP1 powers, which "took away Council's ability to support our development and as such the matter was on hold until we could seek clarification as to why the powers were revoked".

Mr Fox wrote: "Given that Council are not willing to engage us or the Department of Planning, we are requesting to lodge a Part 3A application.

"It is considered that given the size of the project and the fact that the proposal would be caught under SEPP 71 Coastal Protection (over 13 metres in height and within 100 metres of the coastal shoreline) the consent authority would be the Department of Planning."

Mr Fox said the Peninsula Urban Directions Strategy (PUDS), which allowed up to six storeys on the site, should be followed.

However, he argued that the additional two storeys, bringing the building to eight storeys or 27.3 metres, were justified by the public benefit of providing a pedestrian link through the site to Ettalong Beach.

He said that PUDS recommended "providing for additional heights as a reward for specific public benefits".

In its application dated 28 Apr 2009, Tesrol did not disclose any political donations of more than $1000 in the previous two years.

Public comment may be made until June 4.

Details can be found and submissions made online at http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=3326.

Website, 8 May 2010 NSW Department of Planning