Gun barrel developments create future ghettos
The NSW Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment makes the following statement on its website, in reference to the Low Rise Diversity Code:
"The Code will promote more liveable and desirable communities through good building design.
"It highlights the importance of private open space and vegetation as essential features for future homes."
How can we reconcile these laudable aims with the "gun barrel" developments that are currently spreading like a viral rash across the face of the Peninsula?
They are the opposite of the NSW government's criteria above, and will not "promote liveable and desirable communities".
The only thing they will promote is developer profit.
They are not "future homes". They are future ghettos.
"Gun barrel" developments typically consist of three two storey, three-bedroom houses on a plot of only 750 square metres (or even less if the developers have their way), serviced by a driveway running virtually the full length of the site.
Most, if not all, of these "gun barrel" developments are not viable without generous variations to the Development Control Plan provisions, courtesy of the council.
Ironically the council are "forced" to allow these variations because of all the precedents they have set in previous planning decisions.
Just as they are "forced" to sell off public reserves and raise rates because of past financial mismanagement.
No wonder there are calls for the Peninsula to have its own council!
Things have now reached the ridiculous stage where one applicant is trying to shoehorn two double-storey houses, each with three bedrooms, into the rear garden of an existing house at 95 Paton St.
This would require generous variations to setbacks and lot size.
The actual extra ground floor space that would be gained from variations to setbacks alone is 77.6 square metres. That's just at ground floor level.
The residents of Paton St are, understandably, dismayed at this proposal with a large number of submissions having been made already.
Many of them are elderly and have lived in Paton St for a large portion of their lives.
They deserve the community's support in this matter.
Due to certain "irregularities" in the council's advertising and notification process, pointed out in a submission by a Paton St resident, the advertising and notification is being repeated.
Submissions now close on July 5.
I would urge Peninsula residents to peruse some of the submissions for DA61493 as they raise a plethora of concerns ranging from manic "rat runners" and cluttered nature strip parking to the general loss of "liveability" that desirable quality that the NSW Government claims to embrace.
A lot of these issues directly emanate from a lack of planning-infrastructure and are being highlighted and will be exacerbated by this style of development.
As such they should be of keen interest to the whole of the Peninsula community.
If, like me, you are concerned at the over-densification and loss of vegetation being caused on the Peninsula by "gun barrel" developments, feel free to let the council know by objecting to this development application (DA61493).
SOURCE:
Email, 8 Jun 2021
Frank Wiffen, Woy Woy