Eight one-bedroom dwellings proposed for Umina
Interested residents have until August 29 to comment on a development application for an "eight multi-dwelling house" proposal for 433 Ocean Beach Rd, Umina Beach.
Central Coast Council put the proposal out for public comment last week.
The two-storey building would consist of eight small one bedroom dwellings with communal open space and landscaping.
The applicant Tom Luedecke said the development was aimed at young people, who were being priced out of the residential property market both at a rental and purchase level.
He said that he supported affordable housing developments.
The site is currently a real estate office and is about 400 metres from Umina Beach and recreation reserve.
The proposal does not comply with the minimum lot size of 750m2 under Gosford Local Environment Plan as the block is 676.1m2 - a variation of almost 10 per cent.
A statement supporting the proposal, written by Clark Dowdle and Associates, says the proposal is in the public interest, being close to public transport and Umina business centre.
It quotes council's new draft urban spatial plan which identifies Umina Beach as a town centre that will incorporate a renewal of the urban form with compact centre design with higher densities which will encourage a series of distinct mixed density urban centres.
It mentions recent approvals of multi-unit developments with the same design scale, height, setbacks, site cover and parking, including proposals for 117 Booker Bay Rd, Booker Bay, and 174 The Esplanade, Umina Beach, among about 25 sites, all on the Peninsula.
"Council in its planning assessment has conceded that the prescriptive requirements outlined within the Multi-Unit Housing and Residential Flat Buildings chapter are unrealistic for medium density development to be fully compliant with the numerical measures of the multi-dwelling chapter in the Gosford Development Consent Plan 2013,'' the report says.
"The economic feasibility to consolidate allotments and provide such little yield due to the loss of land available in regards to the required setbacks are onerous and rather the assessment of villa style development has been taken into account the context of what is been established and recently been approved by Council."
It goes on to say the proposal would be in line with the NSW Government's long term land use plan for the region.
The development would allow greater than three hours solar access to the living areas of the proposed building.
Neighbouring properties would be overshadowed during the winter months.
They would "obtain solar access again when the season moves toward the equinox,'' the report says.
The proposal has already attracted submissions with questions on the cost of $650,000 estimated for the proposal.
One submission said they were interested in, but could not see, any information on these "micro apartments".
"Not a motel? Not a serviced apartment? So who will be living in a single room with a bathroom? What size are these?'' the submission asked.
"Are they for long-term or short-term residents/tourists?
"Once again it is apparent that 'boarding rooms' and associated persons are going to be the future of the Peninsula.
"Total cost of works $650,000. I also fear a very cheap and nasty structure."
The applicant Tom Luedecke said young people were being priced out of the residential property market both at a rental and purchase level and that he supported affordable housing developments.
"As I understand it, the spirit of the State Government's affordable housing planning policy is to support individuals and families who have no place to live, are on low and moderate incomes and may be key workers providing essential services to the communities they live, teachers, nurses or fire fighters, who need to live close to their employment," he said.
"I have been a supporter of medium density housing that targets these groups for several years and am thrilled to see developments of this nature receiving traction and gaining momentum.
"As a society we need to remember and acknowledge that we've all been beneficiaries of historical property development and land subdivision.
"This should not stop. We have to continue to provide for younger generations.
"It is a human right to live in safe, decent and secure housing and in areas that provide the societal infrastructure of education, health, transport, employment opportunities and importantly community."
SOURCE:
DA Tracker website, 13 Aug 2019
DA 56948, Central Coast Council