PUDS goes back to committee

The Peninsula Urban Directions Strategy (PUDS) has been referred back to another council strategy-policy committee meeting after councillors were unable to agree on its adoption last week.

Both an adoption motion and an amendment were defeated at last week's Gosford Council meeting.

Councillors were informed by general manager Mr Peter Wilson at council's meeting of December 6 that not accepting a motion would cause the strategy to be halted.

"There is no motion so therefore there is no resolution, or direction for councillors to take," Mr Wilson said.

"So the strategy would not be put into place."

Mayor Cr Laurie Maher said in doing so any investment in the strategy would have been a waste of money.

Loss of the strategy was finally averted when Cr Maher, after a short recess so the councillors could discuss their position, suggested that the strategy be referred back to another Strategy Policy meeting, but not before another motion to lower the height limits in the three Peninsula CBDs was rejected.

Council officers had recommended the strategy for approval.

A council report stated that the strategy was intended to provide a broad strategic direction for future development within the Peninsula.

The report stated that "in this regard the strategy will inform future planning controls, which will also be subject to further community consultation, as well as identifying other work that will be required as a result of the strategy's recommendations".

It stated that as a strategic directions document, PUDS had considered all relevant issues, at a strategic level, that would impact on future development within the Peninsula, including drainage, roadworks and economic issues as they relateD to setting future development directions for the Peninsula.

It stated that "the plan has been prepared on the basis of limiting the impacts of growth upon infrastructure capacities with additional infrastructure provision being able to be provided through existing Contributions Plan provisions or normal capital works programming".

Council agenda SF.51, December 6