Controversial $148m North Gosford ‘gateway’ plan for six towers gets new life
Will it be third time lucky for a $148 million six-tower “gateway” development proposed for North Gosford? A scaled-down version of the development is back on public exhibition.
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A scaled-down version of the $148 million, six-tower “gateway” development in North Gosford is on exhibition for the third time.
The shop top housing development, to include six towers along with a cafe, restaurant and commercial/retail outlets, is proposed to spread across nine lots on the corner of Mann St and Dwyer St.
It has been in the pipeline since 2016 however received council and community objections due to the sheer size and scale of the development, lodged by Ken Schmidt.
The plans initially proposed six towers, including 391 residential units and commercial/retail floor space, however council objected to the excessive height and floor space ratios.
It was scaled down in 2018 to five towers with 400 units and continued to receive objections from surrounding residents around the bulk and scale as well as overshadowing, privacy and landscaping.
A petition with 121 signatures against the development was lodged with council in February 2019.
Now, the application has gone back to six towers, with 353 one, two and three bedroom units, with two towers on the eastern side of Mann St and the remaining four on the western side of Mann St.
The two main towers will have ground level commercial and retail, while the others will be residential only. There are also changes to the basement parking.
The report states “the development still exceeds the building height control for all towers” however the greatest variation to council’s regulations is 19 per cent on Tower 4. The smallest tower is proposed to be 28.3m, while the tallest is 53.5m.
The two towers facing Mann St are slimline and designed to create a “formal gateway entry into the city centre”.
“Wider landscaped street level setbacks have been provided along Mann St to accommodate and encourage street level activity and social gatherings,” the report states.
“Additional carparking has been provided, noting the city centres current lack of parking.”
The location is currently dominated by car dealerships and medium density housing and is right next to the railway line.
Gosford station is under a kilometre away and the site falls into the catchment of both Gosford and Henry Kendall high schools and Gosford Public School.
The DA will be determined by the Joint Regional Planning Panel and is on exhibition until March 4.