Public comment on the State Government’s proposal for new development control plans on the Gosford city centre has been extended to September 20.
The State Government says the development controls will promote design excellence resulting in quality urban design and environmental outcomes for the CBD.
But it will accept variations where an application demonstrates conformity with the objectives specified.
The Development Control Plan would used by developers and the State Government department of planning to determine development applications.
Council would no longer control approvals for proposals over $10 million.
(Some proposals under $10 million already get approved from the Joint Regional Planning Panel and that would continue.)
Under the new plan, development of more than $10 million would be assessed by the Department of Planning and determined by the Minister. IF the council objects to a proposal or 25 others object, an Independent Planning Commission would make the call.
The State Department of Planning says that in crafting the controls, care was taken to ensure development protects sunlight access to key public
places by lifting the level of protection from the subjective control that applies now, to a measurable performance standard.
The standard would be that 50 percent of Kibble Park receives at least four hours of sunlight a day and 70 per cent for Leagues Club park).
Critics say the controls will actually decrease the sunlight on Kibble Park and Leagues Club park.
The Department said another key objective was to protect views of the surrounding bushland and Brisbane Water, in keeping with the feedback from the community.
The draft plan says development within these view corridors must minimise impacts upon the key views.
The plan also changes where the developer contributions would go.
Now, the council can (but doesn’t always) charge four per cent. The new DCP would see that reduced to three per cent and council would only get one percent of it; the State Government would take two per cent.
Other issues canvassed by groups opposed to the detail in the draft control plan include:
- lack of planning for public parking.
- lack of height restrictions for large-site developments.
If you want to read the proposal, here is the link.
If you want to have your say: here is the email address.
You’ve got a week.
