Hardware store proposal criticised by neighbours

A proposal for a hardware and building supplies store at 32 Ocean Beach Rd, near the intersection with Mutu Rd, Woy Woy, has come under fire from neighbours because of noise and privacy.

The development application for Establishment of Use of an existing industrial lot has been submitted to Central Coast Council by planning consultants Clarke Dowdle and Associates on behalf of the lessee of the land, My Supply Co.

It is within a small industrial zone that extends to Rawson Rd.

The proposal is to operate a small-scale, specialised hardware supply store from a recently-erected industrial building.

Proposed hours are 6am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday, with no more than two staff working at one time, and six car parking spaces would be provided on site.

However, neighbours in an adjoining villa complex, in a residential zoned area, say the business activity is already happening and noise is intruding on their privacy.

In a submission to Council against the proposal, Mr Ian Dent said he was the voice for the villa residents, including a 90-year-old man and another middle-aged couple.

He said they were concerned about noise and lack of privacy as bright lights from the building shone into their properties and the parking of large trucks towering over the fence line.

"As I live in a residential zone, I strongly oppose 6am starts and the main hub of activity on-site takes place five metres from my back door, including all deliveries," he said.

"Eleven metres from my back door are double two-storey-high roller doors and when they are open the noise is magnified from all activity within, including the use of drop saws, nail guns and construction.

"They are not doing anything to suppress noise, like they say in their DA, and there's little or no consideration to our neighbouring property.

"The development applications mentions nothing of staff parking along the boundary fence, where currently up to four vehicles are parked with no understanding that the vehicle exhaust is level with the gap in the boundary fencing, and that's a health hazard when vehicles are left idling.

"They say there is no more than two staff working at one time but there is no mention of family and friends, and with no consideration to the neighbouring property with the site being used for small children to play for hours on end, particularly on a Saturday.

"That's not only noisy but a danger to children."

A statement supporting the application prepared by the planning consultants said that the application represented a new use of a currently under-utilised industrial lot and incorporated a new internal fit out.

According to the statement, "given the shortage of industrial land available within the Peninsula area, Council should be flexible for various uses within the Woy Woy industrial area to cater for both light industry facilities to service the local area and generate employment opportunities".

In reference to noise control, the statement said that "the masonry construction of the building would mitigate noise conflicts ... and the walls within the structure would adequately suppress noise by the operations".

"The appropriate assessment has been undertaken to ensure that the minor development would not be detrimental to the environmental or amenity aspects of the site."

SOURCE:

DA Tracker, 14 Jan 2020

DA 57548/2019, Central Coast Council