Multistorey apartment block for Lynne Ave at Point Frederick rejected by Gosford Council

A PLAN to build a seven-storey, 20-unit apartment block at Point Frederick has been rejected after mounting community opposition.

An artist’s impression of the development planned for 3-5 Lynne Avenue, Point Frederick.

A PLAN to build a seven-storey, 20-unit apartment block at Point Frederick has been rejected after mounting community opposition.

Residents living near the proposal, who have campaigned to have the plan scrapped for almost a year, were overjoyed with the decision by Gosford Council on Tuesday night.

The Lynne Ave proposal would have seen an apartment block wrapped around a heritage house.

Monique Anderson, with her son Ashton, 4, is concerned that a nine story development will tower over her unit and block the light, at Point Frederick. Picture: Peter Clark

“I am on cloud nine,” said resident Monique Anderson, who lives in a two-storey block in Duke St which would have been “overwhelmed” by the proposal.

“I am stoked. We put so much work into it, but it doesn’t always pay off.”

One resident who addressed Tuesday’s council meeting pleaded with councillors to reject the plan.

“This development completely overwhelms 2 Duke St,” he said. “This will totally obliterate our views, the sky, the stars, the sunset. We lose everything. This will crush us financially.

“We look to the council to back up our rights.”

Despite a recommendation by council staff to approve the development, the councillors voted eight to one to reject the application.

Monique Anderson, with her son Ashton, 4, is concerned that a nine story development will tower over her unit and block the light, at Point Frederick. Picture: Peter Clark

They supported an alternate recommendation by Cr Hillary Morris to refuse the application on bulk and scale, the lack of integration with a heritage item and the impact on the amenity of neighbours.

Mayor Lawrie McKinna was the only councillor to support approving the development­.

“The view loss in 2 Duke St is not acceptable,” Cr Morris said.

“The developer needs to reconsider the bulk and scale.”

After the meeting, Cr Morris said she was delighted with the outcome.

“Seriously, if you bought a block behind a heritage building, you would never expect something like that to be built there,” Cr Morris said.