Town planner unveils flaws to new surf club plan

IN A LETTER to the editor Rob Burgess expressed grave concern about the latest amendment to the new Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club.

"WRONG” PLAN: Woolgoolga resident Rob Burgess is not happy with changes to Woolgoolga Surf Club development plans. Picture: Trevor Veale

IN A LETTER to the editor Rob Burgess expressed grave concern about the latest amendment to the new Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club.

Offering his "personal and professional” opinion, the town planner, who has family ties with Woolgoolga extending back 140 years, said 175 individual rejections to the latest plans showed there was something wrong.

Mr Burgess wrote the latest plans showed the club would move 20m closer to Carrington St "which virtually eliminates the green open reserve area” following the discovery of drainage under the reserve.

He estimated diverting these pipes, and therefore allowing for the original plans, would cost about $300,000 - a small portion of the $3.6 million thought needed to demolish the old Marine Rescue building and build the new surf club.

While Mr Burgess owns property in Carrington St, he said the amended club location would not affect his views and he was solely concerned about the loss of popular reserve space.

Mr Burgess wrote the new newly proposed site would lead to:

• Loss of views from Ocean St;
• Loss of nine parking spaces;
• Loss of public event space; and
• Loss of the potential to increase the grass area adjacent the beach, impacting the extension of the coastal walk and use of the beach reserve.

The DA will be brought before Coffs Harbour City councillors at Thursday's council meeting.

In the business paper it was recommended councillors support changing Clause 4.6 of Coffs Harbour Local Environmental Plan 2013 regarding variable building heights and approve the subdivision of 87 Beach Stand and demolition of the Marine Rescue building which sits on that site.