Ettalong: Plans lodged for five-storey, $35.4m, shop-top-housing development on The Esplanade

Plans have been lodged for a key “bookend” five-storey, multimillion dollar shop-top housing development overlooking one of the Central Coast’s most sought after beaches. See the images.

New plans have been lodged for a five-storey, $35.4m shop-top housing development at 43-46 The Esplanade, Ettalong Beach, featuring 39 units. Artist's impression: supplied

New plans have been lodged for a $35.4m residential complex less than a year after planning laws were changed to lift the site’s building height from three to five storeys.

Central Coast Council backed a proposal to lift the building height for six lots at 43-46 The Esplanade, Ettalong Beach, from 11.5m to 17m last year.

The state government ratified the changes to the Gosford Local Environmental Plan (LEP), which included increasing the floor-space-ratio (FSR) of 1:1 to 1.75:1.

The six lots, which includes the old Ettalong Motel site, two vacant blocks and a dilapidated two-storey brick home on the corner of The Esplanade and Picnic Parade, were effectively left off the planing controls set in place for the rest of the Ettalong CBD.

They were capped originally under the former planning regime to limit overshadowing of the beach and to preserve water views from other B2 zoned land.

The site is expected to “bookend” multi-storey development in the Ettalong CBD. Image: supplied

However those controls became redundant with the approval of the seven-storey Atlantis development next door, and the five-storey Ettalong Hotel behind.

Another compelling factor to lift the maximum building height was to “bookend” development along the Ettalong foreshore between the Mantra Ettalong Beach Resort on the corner of Beach St to this development on the corner of Picnic Parade.

The five-storey development will feature two “blocks” of units separated by communal spaces on the second and third floors. Artist's impression: supplied

Now the building ceiling has been lifted a consortium of investors — comprised of Parform Pty Limited, Pinti Pty Limited, Saltnpepper Pty Limited, John and Mark Moussa and Oxford Steel Pty Limited — have lodged plans for a 39-unit shop-top-housing development.

Under the plans, the old motel and brick house would be demolished to make way for a five-storey building containing ground floor retail space, residential units and basement and ground level vehicle parking for 57 vehicles.

“The existing buildings no longer represent the highest and best use of the site within the Ettalong Beach village centre,” the development application (DA) states.

The development would be undertaken in four stages and see the lots amalgamated before the units and shops are separated under a strata title arrangement.

The units will have commanding views over Ettalong Beach. Artist's impression: supplied

“While the subject site is adjacent to the Ettalong Beach foreshore/foreshore reserve, it does not create excessive overshadowing, wind funnelling or loss of views from public access to these areas and is consistent with the concept plans provided as part of the original Planning Proposal,” the DA states.

“The proposed bulk, height and scale of the building is also consistent with the desired future character for the precinct which represents an area in transition with existing residential and commercial building stock being upgraded and/or replaced with higher density residential and mixed-use development (particularly in the Ettalong Beach village precinct).”

The DA will ultimately be determined by the Regional Planning Panel.