Point Frederick boarding house refused by the Central Coast Local Planning Panel

A decision has been made over plans for a 23-room boarding house in Point Frederick after neighbours and the owner addressed the local planning panel meeting.

Plans for a four storey boarding house in Point Frederick have been refused.

The Central Coast Local Planning Panel has announced its unanimous decision to refuse the development application for 14 York St due to “overdevelopment” of the site.

The $5.4m plans included a 23-room boarding house with on-site car, motorbike and bicycle spaces as well as a manager’s residence.

The development application came before the Local Planning Panel on April 21 due to the number of public submissions received with key concerns including impact on neighbouring homes and character of the area.

The plans were for a new generation boarding house at 14 York St in Point Frederick.

Neighbouring residents Christina Clarke and Natalie Rogers spoke against the plans saying it would have detrimental impacts on their solar access and privacy along with concerns regarding noise.

“My privacy will be impacted across both internal and external spaces,” Ms Rogers said.

Ms Rogers also said her backyard, including clothesline, would receive just half an hour of sunlight per day due to over shadowing.

Owner Katy Pawlak was the meeting to answer questions and was asked if they made any attempts to think of a larger site for the development.

“No. We came into this property, there’s four townhouses currently on there,” she said.

“During the design I instructed the architect to maintain the building as much as they could to the current footprint so as to limit new impacts to neighbours.”

Artists impression of the boarding house.

The panel went against Central Coast Council’s recommendation to approve the plans.

“The proposal is an overdevelopment of the site by virtue of the dimensions of the site and the form and design of the proposed single building,” the panel stated in its decision.

“The proposal is not compatible with the character of the local area.”

The panel outlined reasons including floor space ratio resulting in “greater bulk”, an inappropriate height and length for the 701sq m site as well as impact on the environment and neighbouring sites in terms of noise and privacy.

“The narrowness of the site, inadequate side setbacks and the development’s height unreasonably exacerbates overshadowing of adjoining sites,” the panel stated.

The panel described the plans as an “overdevelopment”.

Aerial image of the plans.

The applicant lodged the plans in early 2021 stating that the development would “appeal to and accommodate trainee doctors at the new Doctors Training Facility at Gosford Hospital, University and TAFE students, health-professionals, educators, executives, and retirees who seek affordable, by way of nature, and conveniently situated housing.”

They highlighted benefits such as the “ideal” location close to restaurants, chemists, supermarkets and cafes, as well as public transport and the Gosford city centre.

They also stated it would “provide a safe and secure environment where residents are able to study/work and contribute towards the local community and in-turn foster and support economic growth on the Central Coast”.