Five-storey shop top housing approved for Church St carpark, Terrigal
Central Coast Council has done a complete backflip, overturning a decision to refuse shop top housing at the Church St carpark in the heart of Terrigal.
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A five storey shop top housing development in the centre of Terrigal has been approved, with Central Coast Council overturning its original decision for refusal.
The DA for the Church St carpark came back to council last night, with the applicant calling on council to review its December 2018 decision before the matter goes to the Land and Environment Court next month.
The $10 million development proposes 12 residential units, two shops and carparking on the site which has become a well used carpark in the middle of Terrigal.
Last year, councillors went against the staff recommendation for approval due to height and floor space ratios not complying with local planning controls.
There was also concern about obstruction of ocean views from surrounding properties.
Last night, staff maintained its recommendation for approval indicating the areas of non compliance were reasonable and fitting with the DA.
Councillor Jane Smith urged council to refuse the DA, saying the council needed to uphold its planning controls.
“One would assume the developer purchased land knowing planning rules,” she said.
Cr Rebecca Gale Collins said the site was the right place for the application, while Cr Greg Best said voting the plan down sent a message that council “stands for no jobs, no economic support and no going forward”.
The carpark was controversially sold by the former Gosford council in 2015.
Cr Chris Holstein said the sale of the carpark was where it all went wrong.
“You can’t go back in time,” he said. “The last council decided to sell it on.”
He said it wasn’t worth going to court for an “under-utilised site”, considering the professional staff recommendation.
Mayor Lisa Matthews voted for approval and said she backed the staff recommendation.
“Every time we say no we are going to the Land and Environment Court. By approving it here, council can put our specific conditions in,” she said. “It’s a whole new ball game once it gets to the court.”
Dr David Little, from Terrigal Medical Centre, spoke against the DA saying it was “trying to bend restrictions on many levels”.
However, in the event it is approved, he called on council to ask the owners, GMDA Pty Ltd & A J & N Baladia, to maintain the carpark until the development commences.
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