Green Point seniors housing development unwanted

Woodport Ridge Estate residents are concerned a seniors development application will set a precedent and turn their quiet, narrow cul-de-sac into an “over 55s village”.

Neighbours have objected to a proposal for seniors housing in Green Point.

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WOODPORT Ridge Estate residents are concerned a seniors development application will set a precedent and turn their neighbourhood into an “over 55s village”.

Residents lobbied against a DA for eight two bedroom cottages at Monday night’s Central Coast Council meeting, with councillors deferring the matter for a site inspection.

The application was presented to a full meeting of council after it received 27 local objections.

Under the previous council administrator, any development that received less than 50 objections was assessed by staff only. Once the new council was elected councillors lowered this threshold to 15 objections.

Solicitor David Tyrrell spoke on behalf of the applicant TW Tyrell saying the DA was 100 per cent compliant.

An impression of the cottages proposed at 13-14 Caldwell Cl, Green Point

But residents said the DA proposed for 13 to 14 Caldwell Close, Green Point, would set a precedent for more seniors housing in the estate.

Belinda Orriss said a “majority of the estate” was against the DA, and believed the controversial plans were already in place when they purchased their land in March 2017.

“I do not object to development nor an over 55s, I believe they would make great

neighbours,” she said.

However she raised questions regarding the sale of the two blocks, with stage three of the land release on Peckham Cl yet to be sold.

“This DA will set a precedent for those blocks to be developed the same way and our prestigious estate will have turned into a semi over 55s village,” she said.

Mrs Orriss said the proposed driveway was too narrow, and unsafe for pedestrian access, and there was insufficient parking with only one visitor carpark.

The DA, submitted by Tyrrells Architects, includes eight two bedroom units in four separate buildings. Units one to four will be single storey and units five to eight will be two storey.

An aerial shot of Caldwell Cl, Green Point.

Resident Geoff Emms said the proposal had resulted in “a lot of unhappiness”.

“Smaller, low cost housing will damage the amenity of the street,” he said.

“These types of seniors housing units are currently oversupplied in Green Point.”

He said traffic and parking was a major concern.

Mr Tyrrell said the cottages would attract “empty nesters”, similar to The Cottages in Erina.

He described the development as “high quality seniors housing that will add value to surrounding area”. It will be open to people over 55 or people with a disability.

Deputy Mayor Chris Holstein said he too had concerns around traffic and parking, however noticed something in the application he hadn’t seen in his 27 years in council.

“The waste services will wheel in and wheel out the garbage bins. I didn’t know that was in our contract,” he said. “I have never heard of that.”

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