Dural seniors village is ‘mockery of urban planning’: council
A $98 MILLION seniors housing development has been earmarked for Dural — despite ongoing concerns surrounding seniors accommodation in rural areas.
Hills Shire
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A $98 MILLION seniors housing development has been earmarked for Dural — despite ongoing concerns surrounding seniors accommodation in rural areas.
The proposal for a 72-bed residential aged care facility, 117 self-care dwellings comprising two and three-storey buildings, 80 apartments and 37 independent living units at 3 Pellitt Ln, off Kenthurst Rd, Dural will go before the Joint Regional Planning Panel for determination.
“This application seeks to create a high-quality residential environment for seniors living, envisioned as a liveable, vibrant and energising community to maintain health and wellbeing,” the proposal said.
“The key concept for the proposal is to facilitate a home that is ‘a place for our parents’ where enhanced quality of life is provided for future residents through the facilities offered within the development.”
The development is planned to be carried out over five stages, starting with the residential aged care facility.
Hills councillor Robyn Preston said residents held serious concerns over seniors housing development in rural fringes “as developers move to create seniors housing by stealth”.
Cr Preston wrote to NSW planning minister Anthony Roberts in August to address the construction of seniors housing on rural land that adjoins urban sites. “Dural residents are not happy about this development,” Cr Preston said.
“It is overdevelopment in our shire and a blot on the rural landscape.
“Our job is to ensure that development occurs in suitable location, and this is not to case for this development.”
Cr Preston said council was supportive of seniors housing in appropriate locations.
Hills general manager Michael Edgar said the application “makes a mockery of land use zoning”.
“The applicant needed a site capatibility certificate from the NSW Government before lodging the DA,” Mr Edgar said.
“The government consulted with us and council advised them they should not issue one, however, they did anyway.
“This is a DA residents should never have had to put up with, and if the government are going to approve site compatibility certificates so easily, then they should not approve them in rural areas. “
In November, Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock called for the planning minister to put inconsistencies of seniors housing planning under the spotlight.
Following concerns from both councils, Mr Roberts announced proposed changes to planning rules for seniors’ housing, to prevent incremental growth in unsuitable locations.
DEDICO principal developer John Green said the seniors housing development was sympathetic to the area and would have a “very low impact as it is not a high-rise development”.
“This development will serve the needs of the Dural community,” Mr Green said. “A lot of people nearing retirement age in that area want to be close to their family and we want to provide them with an opportunity to live in a community close to their existing homes.
“It is quite normal for residents to be concerned about change in their community, however, it is small in the scheme of development currently taking place in Sydney.
“We understand residents have concerns, but we feel it will have a positive impact on the community.”
The development proposes a community facility containing a gym, indoor pool, wellness centre, steam room, function area, meeting and office rooms, library, lounge, cinema, games room, art room and bar.
While communal areas included the development of a bowls green, dog park and playground.