'Micro homes' plan considered for Umina

Plans for a six-unit development at 433 Ocean Beach Rd, Umina Beach, are being considered by Central Coast Council.

The applicant Ship Song Super Fund Pty Ltd, says in a statement to support the development application that it is a thoughtfully-considered collection of micro homes to provide modern, simple, sustainable and comfortable urban living for singles and couples.

Construction is focused on carbon-neutral design and living, such as low impact materials, high insulation and good ventilation, a focus on waste reduction, water conservation and energy efficiency, the statement says.

The single house on the 676sqm block, presently used as a real estate office, would be demolished to make way for the new two-storey development.

It will comprise four one-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units with six carparking spaces, as well as visitor, motorbike and bicycle parking.

The front four dwellings would be studios with a bedroom, bathroom with laundry facilities, open kitchen, dining and living areas with adjoining decks.

The rear two units would have two bedrooms and bathroom on the upper floor with ground floor living, kitchen area leading out to a deck and open spaces.

Most of the native trees at the rear of the site would be retained, according to the statement, and there would be additional tree planting and landscaping in the shared outdoor areas.

The statement says the development would provide a positive social effect by providing additional and affordable and dwellings in line with Central Coast Council's Affordable and Alternative Housing Strategy.

The lot size of 676.1sqm does not meet the minimum requirement of 750sqm for this type of development under the Development Control Plan and the applicant is asking Council to approve a non-compliance variation.

The applicant also seeks approval of non-complying boundary setbacks.

Front setback is 4.4 to 5.8 metres (where it should be 6.0 metres), side boundaries are 1.6 to 2.6 metres (where it should be 3.5 metres) and rear setback is 4.62 metres (where it should be 6.0 metres).

Notwithstanding the non-compliances, the statement says the development meets the desired character elements for the medium density area and meets the majority of council's development and planning objectives.

The statement says strict enforcement of the development standard, in this instance, would hinder the desired development outcome for the site as well as the orderly and economic use of the site.

To make the point, the applicant included a long list in the statement of recent approvals by Council of multi-unit developments in various Peninsula suburbs with the same design scale, height, setbacks, site cover and parking.

SOURCE

DA Tracker, 23 Mar 2020

DA 58109/2020, Central Coast Council