Non-compliance: Find politicians who think like us
Who is responsible for all these non-compliant development application approvals?
Can we get a response from any form of government representative, whether it be State or local, to step up and take control, or are they going to continue passing the buck?
Edition 464 of the Peninsula News showed once again that non-compliant applications are being approved by Council and the councillors with no regard to any concerns the residents of the Peninsula have for these developments.
People, who live on the Peninsula and are in principle opposed to these developments, are not given the respect they deserve.
It seems to be what is more important is the fact that the Council needs to over-develop this beautiful area because of a State Government publication to increase the population on the Central Coast by 75,000 people by the year 2036!
Wonderful isn't it?
Is that an election I hear on the horizon? I wonder what the Opposition has on their minds regarding development?
No. No response yet.
This development, mentioned on the front page of that issue, on the corner of West St and Morris St, Umina Beach, has 20 non-complying points but that obviously doesn't matter. Only three councillors voted against it and they are not representatives of our ward area.
This consent was given on February 11.
Then as it happens another application (#56020) is lodged at Council on February 15 for the corner of West and Alfred Sts, Umina Beach. It is also non-complying.
Are they trying to get the people so frustrated that they will not even put a submission in against this development?
The developers must have a big smile on their faces. And Council, well they don't have to do a lot because the developers are getting away with whatever they want.
If we wish to stop or delay some of these developments we need to put submissions in to Council.
Let's look back at some recent DAs that have been approved over the past months.
DA55239/2018: Location 4 Piper St, Woy Woy. Land size is not big enough for the size of the development. It has reduced height ceilings. Should be 2.7m but approved for 2.4m height. Three townhouses in an area of 676.6 square metres which is 73.4 square metres less than the 750 square metres minimum.
DA54018/2018: Location 72-74 Railway St, Woy Woy, does not comply for setbacks, residential car parking and articulation.
DA55285/2018: Location 145 Blackwall Rd, Woy Woy. A consultant's report indicated that a pre-DA meeting in February 2018 considered a single-storey proposal, but the site was deemed to have "potential for greater density". Entrance to the property is via the back lane for all residential parking.
DA55443/2018: Location 32 Warrah St, Ettalong. Once again 20 square metres under minimum 750 square metres required for a development of this size.
DA54264/2018: Location 62-64 Webb Rd, Booker Bay. Approved by Central Coast Council's development manager despite substantial non-compliance with planning provisions.
Ettalong is getting another huge development next to the current development nearing completion.
These are only examples of what is happening on the Peninsula. More is going to come.
There remain issues for Council to address urgently before all this over-development continues.
Some of those are infrastructure, roads, transport, parking, stormwater and drainage.
Wouldn't it be nice if we had a political person who acted on behalf of the people and moved a motion to suspend all development applications for a period of 12 months and then conducted rolling meetings discussing what the people on the Central Coast wanted, not what politicians want.
It doesn't matter if you have lived here for two years or 20-plus years, the Peninsula is your home.
Only you can make a difference if you want to.
You may not have the same thoughts that I have, and I respect that, but we vote for governments and councillors.
If we want the Peninsula to stop being over-developed, we need to find politicians who think the same as us.
Email, 7 Mar 2019
Harvey McDougall, Woy Woy