Council rejects Hillview St proposal

Gosford Council has formally rejected a development application to build villas on the Catholic land in Hillview St, Woy Woy.

The grounds for refusal were that adequate documentation had not been received, the application lacking both a species impact statement and an Aboriginal Heritage report.

The staff report to Council stated that applicant Mr John Zavolokin had lodged an appeal with the Land and Environment Court based on a deemed refusal of his application, and that Council should now formally determine the matter.

The recommendation was that the DA be rejected.

The application was deemed refused because the council had not made a decision on the application within 60 days of its lodgement.

The report stated that the main thrust of public submissions opposing the application were the "perceived environmental significance of the site and the public benefit that might stem from the site's preservation in its 'natural' state".

Increased traffic, density, water usage and setbacks were also raised.

Public submissions comprised 16 letters of objection, three petitions with 12, 105 and 88 signatures respectively and one poem.

Council was told that its environmental unit was concerned about the sensitivity of the site and was dissatisfied with information supplied by the applicant's consultant.

It commissioned an assessment by an independent consultant, which resulted in the applicant being requested to prepare a species impact statement for the site.

The statement was not submitted.

The application was for an aged care facility comprising of 41 dwellings, and also rooms for the community and recreational purposes.

The subject site is located within the Woy Woy: Scenic Conservation urban character precinct and is zoned Residential 2(a).

The staff report "considered that the proposal is consistent" with the zoning, but " it has not yet been established that the proposed development will be consistent with the principles of ecologically-sustainable development" required by the Local Government Act.

Council agenda DH.19, January 25