Umina Beach boarding house plans to go before Central Coast Local Planning Panel
An increase in crime is one of the main objections for a ‘new’ boarding house proposed on Ocean Beach Dr at Umina Beach. The DA is set to come before the local planning panel meeting.
Central Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- COVID-19: Health, hospitality and sales have most job vacancies on the Central Coast
- Wyongah’s Richard Booth sent naked images of ex to her dad
A proposed $1.2m ‘boutique’ boarding house in Umina Beach is set down for approval.
The plan for an 11-room, two-storey boarding house at 454 Ocean Beach Rd will go before the Central Coast Local Planning Panel this week, with a recommendation from Central Coast Council for approval.
The boarding house would have an attached manager’s residence and communal living area along with seven car spaces and two motorbike spaces.
It will provide housing for up to 22 lodgers with a minimum stay of six months. The onsite manager will be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The proposal has attracted many objections from local residents, with 43 submissions received by council.
Objections relate to a range of issues including the development leading to an increase in crime and being inappropriate in the vicinity of a school.
Other issues against the DA include a lack of parking spaces, amenity impacts to surrounding properties and the second storey bedrooms resulting in a lack of privacy to neighbours.
In response to crime concerns, the applicant has stated that the proposal is of a “high-quality residential layout” within local planning controls and included a management plan as well as the onsite manager and CCTV camera system to deter anti-social behaviour.
“NSW Police have reviewed the Plan of Management and the proposed floor plans and generally support the development,” the council report states.
The applicant Charles Raneri also says the implications that the boarding house is in an unsociable location close to a school is “misinformed”.
“The future residents of this, or indeed many boarding house developments can be as varied as doctors and nurses on regional rotation, to people fleeing domestic violence situations,” the report states.
As part of the council’s approval, it has recommended conditions including restricting the hours for use of the private courtyards or balconies.
The council report states the DA is in the public interest, providing a “residential accommodation option that is not prevalent in the area”.
The DA complies with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) introduced in 2009 to assess boarding houses. The SEPP lists standards that cannot be used to refuse DAs of this nature.
The Panel meeting will be held remotely on Thursday from 2pm, with residents able to watch live via council’s website.