How much scrutiny did Minister give Woy Woy decision?
The situation with the Central Coast's Transport-Oriented Development rezonings is getting very murky.
The Minister says that he added Woy Woy to Gosford, Tuggerah and Wyong as rezoning sites, at Council's request.
Council says that not only did it not ask for Woy Woy to be added to the list but that the Minister was specifically asked to delete Gosford, Tuggerah and Wyong from the list, a request that the Minister has ignored.
Regardless of the rights of the matter (which we'll probably never find out), the Minister will, presumably, proceed with the new State Environment Planning Policy to include Woy Woy.
The new provisions are to come into effect almost immediately, and, since Woy Woy was not intended to be in the original tranche, it is probable that Peninsula residents have given no thought to what the effect might be, so there is something serious for them to consider.
This is particularly the case because there is to be a second round of rezonings at a later date, and it is quite possible that other areas on the Peninsula will be brought under the provisions of the Policy, perhaps with as little warning to residents as the current one.
Of course, it is pertinent to wonder how carefully the decision was scrutinised by the Minister.
The area affected lies within a 400-metre radius of Woy Woy Station, and even a cursory glance at a map will show that more than half of this area is water or railway line where, one assumes, the possibilities for residential development are limited.
In fact, there are only two small fragments of residential zoning within the circle, one of which is already occupied by flats, and the other of which has very small potential for assembly and redevelopment as high-density units.
What do fall within the radius are Woy Woy Oval and the Woy Woy business district, but it is difficult to suppose that even our Council is contemplating selling off the oval and tennis courts (although, who knows?), so the rezoning must be aimed at the commercial sites along Blackwall Rd and Railway St.
If that is the case, what is the impact likely to be?
The floor space ratio will increase from 2.3 to 3.0, which means that about one-third more floor space will be allowed.
However, permissible height will only increase from 19.75 metres to 21.00 metres, which is insufficient for even one extra floor.
This means we shall get bigger, squat buildings, more crowded together and offering less light, ventilation, privacy and outlook than provided for under the present controls.
Furthermore, the requirements for parking are to be reduced in a location where parking is already inadequate, so the Woy Woy business centre will become even more difficult to access than it is now.
Liesl Tesch's comment ("Tesch welcomes high-density housing", PN 592) that the change will "provide more affordable housing within our community" is completely fatuous.
The costs of these kinds of buildings on these high-price sites will put them far out of the "affordable" price range, so they will be mainly targeted for yuppie commuters (not that I have anything against yuppie commuters - the more the better - but let us not pretend that the purpose of the rezoning is what it's not).
In this context, it is pertinent to ask what happened to the Woy Woy Centre Plan that was announced with much fanfare in 2019?
If the Council showed any degree of competence, we'd already have a workable project for the area and not be faced with this fait accompli from the Minister.
The Council is arguing that changes should not be made without a proper detailed plan for the zone, but the Council has already had five years to prepare such a plan, so who gives any credence to the idea that it will succeed in the next five years, when it has failed in the past five years?
It is probably too late to make representations to the Minister now about Woy Woy, but let us be alert for the next tranche of zoning changes that are likely to be directed at the Umina and Ettalong shopping centres.
Clearly, we can't rely on the Council to protect our interests.
SOURCE:
Email, 22 Apr 2024
Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy