Bateau Bay: $148m Nareen Gardens redevelopment sparks parking, privacy fears

The $148 million redevelopment of Nareen Gardens retirement village into a series of three and four-storey buildings would set a dangerous precedent according to residents opposed to the plans.

Plans to knock down and rebuild Nareen Gardens retirement home at Bateau Bay has galvanised local residents who have launched a petition and are actively fundraising to get their own town planner to lodge a professional submission against the development.

A number of community groups on social media have weighed into the development with fears it will increase traffic and parking; lose key wildlife habitat with the removal of nearly 100 mature trees; and subject them to years of construction noise and disruption.

Other concerns include the sheer size and scale of the proposed four-storey buildings, privacy and shadowing and the precedent it could set for other surrounding nursing homes in the area and across the Central Coast.

Uniting's Nareen Gardens retirement village at Bateau Bay will be knocked down and redeveloped under $148 million plans to increase its capacity fourfold. Picture: supplied

It comes as Central Coast Council has extended the deadline for public submissions by five weeks.

The original notification period was due to expire on September 24 but this has now been extended to October 28 to provide “sufficient time for the community to consider and provide comment on the proposal”.

Young mum Erin Breneger’s property backs onto the site and said she accepted the existing retirement village needed to be upgraded and there needed to be more aged care beds available.

Surrounding residents are objecting to the size and scale of the four-storey buildings. Picture: supplied

However she questioned the scale of the development, which would cater to more than 400 residents and 70 staff — with just 16 visitor carparking spaces — surrounded by “little streets” where parking was an “issue already”.

Ms Breneger also questioned how the proposal would contribute to affordable seniors living if the fourth storey of some of the proposed buildings was earmarked as a “penthouse” suite.

“I will have a penthouse looking into my child’s bedroom and my kitchen,” she said.

Ms Breneger said other than a pamphlet in the mail a couple of months ago there had been “no community consultation”.

The existing one-storey buildings will be knocked down and rebuilt up to four-storeys. Picture: supplied

The redevelopment has been lodged by the Uniting Church, which owns Nareen Gardens.

In its social impact assessment, Uniting states letters were sent to 29 neighbouring properties advising them of two community consultation times held on May 26.

Ms Breneger said most of the surrounding residents knew nothing about the information sessions until afterwards.

She said the proposal to remove 90 of the site’s 216 trees would lose habitat for native micro bats and swift parrots and set a dangerous precedent for the redevelopment of other nursing homes in residential zonings across the coast.

Lauren Smith lives on Bias Rd, across the road from the entry to Nareen Gardens and said her main concerns were safety and traffic at what was already a dangerous corner.

She said she has also had visitors to the retirement village people park across her driveway.

“Can you imagine what it’s going to be like at Christmas?” she said.

A petition objecting to the development states that during construction, which would take years, residents would be subjected to noise, trucks, cars and dust.

Once finished, the petition states the flood lighting and noise from the airconditioning systems required to keep the buildings comfortable and secure, would “disturb the peace and quiet of the surrounding neighbourhood” and change the character of Bateau Bay.

A spokesman for Uniting said Uniting NSW ACT’s proposed development would feature expanded retirement living, residential aged care and affordable housing, to help senior Australians in regional communities live their life to the fullest.

“Community consultation commenced on May 26 which included face-to-face opportunities for feedback,” he said.

“Neighbouring residents of the development were invited to share their concerns at the face-to-face consultation event in the week prior.

“We will continue to listen to the feedback of concerned stakeholders and neighbours and invite them to contact us 1800 864 846 or email us at [e-mail].”