The Entrance: Planning Panel defers decision on 15-17 Coral St unit block over laneway access

Approval for a six-storey, $6m unit development for one of the oldest vacant blocks at The Entrance has been deferred over access concerns to a rear laneway. Full details here.

Artist's impression of the six-storey shop top housing development lodged for 15-17 Coral St, The Entrance. (Supplied image)

Plans for a 12-unit, six-storey shop top housing development on a key “gateway” site to The Entrance CBD have been put on ice; for now.

The Local Planning Panel was expected to determine the development application (DA) for 15-17 Coral St at it last meeting but deferred the decision indefinitely over concerns about laneway access at the rear of the property.

The panel has asked for a further report from Central Coast Council seeking, among a number of things, that all land owners of the two blocks involved in the DA provide “written consent” they agree with the proposal.

The report also seeks confirmation from the applicant — Design Cubicle Pty Ltd — that it will dedicate the rear access via Farrell Lane to council as a “public road”.

In deferring its decision as far and “as soon as practicable”, the panel also wants confirmation whether “dewatering” of the site was needed and whether this would the trigger the need for approval from WaterNSW.

Location of the proposed six-storey shop top housing for 15-17 Coral St, The Entrance. Picture: supplied

Lastly the panel wants some minor landscaping adjustments at the front corner to improve sightlines for motorists and pedestrians at the roundabout of Coral St and Torrens Ave, and the installation of EV charging points in the basement parking.

“While the panel was conceptually supportive of granting approval, there was a key uncertainty regarding whether the written consent of all owners of land ‘to which the DA relates’ has been provided, particularly related to the vehicular access to and from the site potentially over adjoining land,” the panel states in its reasons to defer the decision.

Location of the proposed six-storey shop top housing for 15-17 Coral St, The Entrance, which has sat vacant for years. Picture: supplied

“The panel also noted that a number of developments to the east have or will dedicate a rear ‘right of way’ as a public road, to allow public access and future extension of Farrell Lane, which seems an appropriate outcome for this site.”

Design Cubicle lodged the DA for the $6m project in September 2022.

Comprised of two levels of basement parking for 15 cars, three shops on the ground floor and 12 residential units on the upper levels, the DA bookends an earlier proposal for the rest of the vacant land at 19-21 Coral St.

A previous DA for 19-21 Coral St was approved by Central Coast Council in 2020, which is also for a six-storey shop top housing development with 12 units, basement parking, ground floor shops and a communal courtyard at the back of the building.

Artist's impression of the six-storey shop top housing block (in red) as viewed from Torrens Ave looking north east. (Supplied image)

The DA for 15-17 Coral St states the new plans would “bookend the commercial activity westwards while also providing a gateway development into the centre” of The Entrance.

“The proposed six-storey mixed use building will also incorporate contemporary architectural aesthetics that adequately address the streetscape,” the DA states.

“It is noted that particular care has been taken with regard to the relationship to the adjoining property to the east which has a recent development consent for a comparable shop top housing development.”

The new plans adopt similar architectural elements of the adjoining proposal to “form a cohesive presentation to the street”.

The 12 units will feature four one-bedroom, four two-bedroom and four three-bedroom apartments, with an additional visitor/car wash space and a loading zone at the rear.