Seniors' housing proposal deferred twice

Consideration of a proposal for a seniors' housing development at Empire Bay has been deferred for the second time this month.

Gosford Council has agreed to defer a planning proposal for a seniors housing facility in Empire Bay for the second time this month.

The matter was first deferred at the meeting of Tuesday, February 7, for inspection the following week.

It was deferred a second time after the inspection at the applicant's request.

Council staff had recommended that Council reject the preparation of a planning proposal for enabling clause to permit a seniors housing and aged care facility on Empire Bay Dr, Empire Bay.

Council's director of environment and planning Ms Colleen Worthy-Jennings recommended that the planning proposal be rejected as it was inconsistent with a number of policies including a State Environment Planning Policy, Environmental Protection Zone policies, the Community Strategic Plan Gosford 2025, the council's Biodiversity Strategy, its Draft Residential Strategy and policies for the East Brisbane Water Geographic Unit.

The report also stated that the proposal had no strategic basis ahead of the completion of the urban fringe zone review and the environmental zone review required by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and the site was not serviced by a sewerage reticulation system.

The site has had two previous attempts for senior's housing development, the most recent, before the current planning proposal, was in 2010 when a submission was received by Council during the exhibition period requesting the lot be zoned to allow seniors housing and aged care facilities.

The submission was not supported as it was considered to be "ad hoc" and not based on any strategy.

In 1982, a development application was submitted for a retirement village which would have comprised 95 self-contained units and a 15 room hostel.

Council approved the application in January 1983 but the DA was not acted upon and the consent lapsed in January 1986.

The site currently supports a single dwelling house and has been used for stock grazing.

The development would consist of 64 two bedroom villas, 88 hostel suites, a 2700 sqm communal dining, lounge, recreation, reception, office, storage, maintenance area, 80 parking spaces, a GP surgery and a village green, cinema, craft room, men's shed and hydrotherapy pool.

The applicant stated that the land would be eminently suited to the proposal in terms of its cleared and gentle slopes, its orientation, accessibility, existing urban services and its ability to blend into the natural landscape, buildings in a manner site responsive and recognising potential hazards.

Gosford Council Agenda ENV.11, 7 Feb 2012