MP seeks answers on Jetty Foreshore plans

Speculation mounts about a possible high-rise at the site of the old Deep Sea Fishing Club.

Aerial Coffs Marina

WITH growing speculation about plans for the Jetty Foreshore, Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh travelled to Sydney last week seeking answers in relation to the long-awaited redevelopment project.

Speculation includes talk of a high rise development in the vicinity of the former Deep Sea Fishing Club.

The old club site is currently the subject of a short-term lease to not-for-profit Regional Ethical Development (RED) Community.

With many false starts over the years, the pressure is on our new MP to get the job done.

In 2017 Cr Sally Townley revealed to the public the State Government's confidential plans to develop high-rises up to 10 storeys tall on the eastern side of Jordan Esplanade, potentially blocking views for nearby residents.

 

Coffs Harbour City Council has already conducted extensive revitalisation work at the northern end of the Foreshore precinct.

In response, the State Government scrapped the plans, starting the process from scratch.

In May last year, with the harbour as a backdrop, Mr Singh held a press conference with Deputy Mayor and Nationals supporter Tegan Swan to announce an exciting new phase for the project.

The pair announced that work would commence on the development of a detailed concept plan and feasibility assessment for the site.

Journalists were told the next phase would include further refinement and development of the preliminary concept plan by urban designers, Group GSA, to create the detailed concept plan which will inform a feasibility assessment to test the plan's potential for implementation, including funding and staging.

In May last year Deputy Mayor Tegan Swan and Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh announced an exciting new phase for the Jetty Foreshores.

"This phase will take a few months," Mr Singh said at the time.

And now, nine months later, Mr Singh understands the community's eagerness to get started on redevelopment of what has been described as the jewel in Coffs Harbour's crown.

"There is a great deal of community interest in what the next steps are and people are growing impatient and we do need to get more information out there," he said this week.

"That is why I sought an update on where the project is up to. Essentially it stands the same as May last year but by the end of month we will have an interim update and a full update by Easter."

 

A range of 'indicative height limits' have been indicated on preliminary plans.

A preliminary concept plan unveiled in late 2018 by Coffs Harbour MP at the time Andrew Fraser, showed indicative height limits of between two and five storeys and no development east of Jordan Esplanade.

Indicative heights range from one storey to five with the tallest zone limited to the strip along Jordan Esplanade to the north of the train station.

Some, including the president of the Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce Martin Wells have labelled these height restriction a missed opportunity in relation to attracting big name international-style hotel accommodation.