Council refuses to rezone Ettalong land

Central Coast Council has refused to rezone land in Ettalong Beach to allow a four-storey mixed use development.

Councillors accepted without debate the staff recommendation on October 28 to refuse the proposal because it had no strategic merit.

The application from Wales and Associates, on behalf of owners KHMS Corporation and A Steliou, said the proposed development would increase the maximum building height to 15 metres across all three sites 302 to 308 Ocean View Rd, on the corner of Ferry Rd, Ettalong Beach.

The current residential zone allows a maximum building height of 8.5 metres.

Council staff reported that a two-storey dwelling had recently been constructed on 308 Ocean View Rd and the current residential zone was appropriate for the site.

Shop-top housing is a permissible land use in the area and, therefore, a change in zone was not required to achieve a mixed use development, the report said.

The submitted development plans showed the proposal included childcare, gym and games room within the ground floor commercial area.

The Council report said a market economic assessment (MDC Property, December 2018) submitted by the applicant did not provide sufficient evidence to support increasing commercial floorspace in the area, instead justifying the zone change entirely on the supply of additional housing.

Council staff said the proposed increase in height and floor space ratio would allow a development that was out of character with surrounding development and, therefore, would have a negative impact on the Ettalong Beach area.

SOURCE:

Central Coast Council agenda 2.4, 28 Oct 2019