Proposal for 21 flats in Trafalgar Ave
A 21-unit two-storey development costing $9.18 million has been proposed for three lots fronting 290-294 Trafalgar Ave, Umina.
The site includes 23 Hector St as well as the three lots in Trafalgar Ave, opposite Wellington St.
The residential flat building will be two storeys with basement parking and will have three single-bedroom units, 14 two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom apartments.
According to the application "overview", parking will be provided for 36 cars, including two accessible parking bays.
However, the basement plan appears to indicate 37 car spaces and in at least two other places the application states that there are three "disabled" car spaces.
According to the application prepared by Doug Sneddon Pty Ltd: "The subject land has an area of 2257 square metres, with a western frontage of 43.895m to Trafalgar Ave; a small eastern frontage to Hector St; a northern side boundary of 51.62m; and a southern boundary of 52.78m."
The floor space ratio of the proposed development is 0.76:1, exceeding the 0.7:1 ratio permitted by the planning provisions.
A written "clause 4.6 variation request" has been provided as an appendix to the application, running to 13 pages.
The principal argument appears to be: "The proposed development will not be visually prominent; will have a bulk and scale appropriate to its urban context; and will be compatible with the bulk and scale of multi-storey residential flat buildings envisaged under current planning controls."
The only other notified non-compliance with planning provisions is for the rear setback which at 1.685 metres is considerably less than the 4.5 metres required.
The application states: "It is considered that the proposed 1.685m rear boundary setback is reasonable in the circumstances because this boundary is fundamentally a side boundary shared with the adjacent property."
In another inconsistency, the computer-generated perspectives featured in the application show the retention of two large trees on the site.
However, the plans show that these will be removed.
According to the arborist report prepared by Advanced Treescape Consulting, all nine trees on the site are to be removed.
The report states one is to be removed because it "failed the Visual Tree Assessment".
Four are listed as "exempt", because they are considered noxious weeds and four are to be removed to "facilitate the proposed development plans".
The application, DA/1787/2023, concludes that the development "will have minimal environmental impact and that the subject land is environmentally suitable for the proposed development".
It is currently on public exhibition and available for written submissions until October 23.
SOURCE:
DA Tracker, 30 Sep 2023
DA1787/2023, Central Coast Council