$6.8m plan to turn Highball House into Bundanoon seniors housing complex refused

A developer has slammed the ‘disgraceful’ and ‘unethical’ refusal of a multimillion-dollar development in the sleepy Southern Highlands,

A proposal to develop a well-known 1920s property into a multimillion-dollar seniors housing complex has been refused in a “disgraceful” decision which the developer likened to a dictatorship.

The development application aimed to create 21 self-contained dwellings for seniors at 115-129 Railway Ave, Bundanoon. The dwellings would surround the original home on the site, a 1920s bungalow previously used as a Youth Hostel and currently known as Highball House.

The proposal has been before council for nearly eight months and went before the Local Planning Panel on Wednesday.

Two community members voiced their opposition to the proposal, citing loss of natural vegetation, heritage value, and the creation of traffic and noise. Both speakers recognised the dire need for seniors housing, but stressed the importance of maintaining Bundanoon’s heritage character and “village atmosphere”.

Heritage considered 1920s home Highball House in Bundanoon is at the centre of a controversial DA.

Geoffrey Allen said the proposed 21 dwellings on the 2.4 acre block would be “too crowded” to be comfortable for seniors.

“We feel that, in its current form, this DA is not in the best interest of local residents or the future occupants,” he said.

After a long discussion with project planner Scott Lee, who argued for the application, the Local Planning Panel unanimously refused the seniors housing development.

The Panel decided the proposal was contrary to public interest and listed fifteen detailed reasons for the refusal, including an adverse impact on Railway Parade and parking, loss of trees, and design and materials unsympathetic to the area.

“The siting, layout, design and density of the development is considered to be an unsuitable development for this site and its context and is an overdevelopment,” the determination read.

The developer and owner of the site, Brent Marvin, said the decision was “disgraceful” and labelled the conduct of the council as “unprofessional and unethical”.

An artists impression of the proposed development, with Highball House on the left and new homes surrounding it.

He told The Bowral News council had not indicated there were any issues with the application, and hadn’t provided him with any time to address concerns.

Mr Marvin emphasised previous interactions with council have been positive and productive, which is why he was so surprised to not have any warning of the development refusal.

“It’s a loss for the community,” he said.

“The council hasn’t served the community well.”

Mr Marvin said there was a desperate need for seniors housing in Bundanoon and there were a large number of people waiting on the development. He estimated 1,500 people in Bundanoon are over 60, which equates to almost half the town’s population.

“We’ve had people pass away while they were waiting for housing,” he said.

Mr Marvin said he would not be contesting the decision and would instead turn to developing the seven subdivided lots into two-storey houses.