Multi-storey development promoted in urban strategy

Two-storey "garden apartments" built over two allotments, three-storey apartments built over three allotments, and building heights of four to six storeys in town centres will all be promoted under the Peninsula Urban Directions Strategy released last week.

Gosford Council decided at its April 5 meeting to place the strategy on exhibition for six weeks to seek public comment.

The strategyalso provides for single allotment "semi-detached" housing and three-storey waterfront development.

It predicts a population increase over 20 years of about 7500 "without substantial State contribution to buses and major roadworks".

The population would be accommodated in 4800 new dwellings, 30 per cent of which would be in town centres, 55 per cent in garden apartments and 15 per cent in semi-datached houses.

The current zoning boundaries would remain, with the low density residential 2(a) zoning mostly remaining unchanged and new planning controls proposed for the medium density residential 2(b) and town centres 3(a) and 5(a).

Semi-detached housing would be allowed "throughout the 2(b) hinterland", 0.5km to 2km from town centres, and also along main road frontages.

The two-storey garden apartments with basement parking were seen as the "final infill of extensive villa and townhouse areas" around the southern centres of Ettalong and Umina.

The "higher-medium density" three-storey apartments, also with basement parking, would be permitted within one kilometre of Woy Woy.

Town centre building heights would be increased to four storeys for Umina, five storeys for Ettalong and six storeys for Woy Woy.

The strategy envisages "an approach like Terrigal".

New planning controls would preserve a village character and amenity, ensure retail and developmental viability, and protect scenic quality.

In a presentation to Council, consultants consortium Newbold with Elton and Leyshon and Marron Wilson Twinet gave an overview of constraints to population increase.

They said that, while the Peninsula had "finite land" with an "established development pattern", the principal constraint was traffic.

Current traffic loads already exceed the "capacity" of many roads by as much as 200 per cent and there was limited scope for "order of magnitude" improvements.

They said that current controls were not appropriate because they did not: support growth, address commercial factors, ensure quality design, encourage housing choice, or encourage comprehensive town centre redevelopment.

The strategy states: "The Peninsula's urban area cannot be expanded, and because all available urban land has been developed, the capacity for further growth is limited to redevelopment of existing properties.

"For the same reason, most of the additional infrastructure and services that are needed for a growing population must fit within existing public lands.

"The extensive medium density zoning of the Peninsula in 1988 established the potential to accommodate growth.

"That potential cannot be downgraded substantially for legal reasons as well as due to established State planning practices.

"Consequently, the primary challenge for this strategy is to identify new and practical approaches to allow additional housing within established land-use zones while offering improved levels of social equity, environmental sustainability and economic efficiency."

Peninsula Urban Directions Strategy, April 15