Plans for three seniors housing developments, 1000 beds in Dural, Glaston rejected by NSW Planning
Ambitious requests for approval to develop a series of multimillion-dollar seniors housing developments in rural suburbs in Sydney’s north west have been rejected by a NSW Government planning panel.
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Ambitious requests for approval to develop a series of multimillion-dollar seniors housing developments in rural suburbs in The Hills and Hornsby have been rejected by a NSW Government planning panel.
This month, the Sydney North Planning Panel rejected three applications calling for the approval of major seniors housing developments in Dural and Galston — proposing close to 1000 beds in total.
The largest proposal by a Folkestone Lyon Group joint venture, which sought a site compatibility certificate for a 130 bed residential care facility, 472 self-contained living apartments, 44 self-contained living dwellings, community facilities and parking at 663-667 Old Northern and 4 Franlee roads, Dural, was rejected by the panel on March 28.
The developers, which also proposed previously rejected plans for the South Dural Development Precinct and a high-rise residential development in Hornsby’s west side, argued the proposal aimed to create a “high-quality master planned seniors living development that meets the increasing demand for seniors housing in South Dural”.
“It will provide a diverse mixture of housing types to cater for a range of abilities and levels of care.,” a planning specialist for Lyon Folkestone groups said.
“The proposal includes serviced self-care housing in the form of self-contained dwellings and apartments and an on-site residential care facility.”
Another Folkestone Lyon Group joint venture proposal featuring a 130 bed residential care facility, 95 self-contained living apartments, 24 self-contained living dwellings, community facilities and parking at 795-821 Old Northern Rd, Dural, was also rejected at the same meeting.
In response to the proposals, a Hornsby Council strategic planning spokesman said the site is not suitable for more intensive development: “due to the absence of a clear vision, infrastructure and funding plans for the Metropolitan Rural Area”.
“Council’s request to the Planning Minister is reiterated that no further site compatibility certificates be issued for seniors housing developments in the rural areas of Hornsby Shire until a clear vision for the region is prepared, including an infrastructure and funding plan to cater for existing and future development,” the spokesman said.
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Planning Panel chair Peter Debnam said the representatives determined to refuse to issue a site compatibility certificates for both sites, because the applications had not demonstrated that the site is suitable for more “intensive development”.
Another proposal by major seniors housing provider Living Choice sought the opportunity for the developer to submit a new development application for the construction of a 95-dwelling centre at 328 Galston Rd, Galston.
The centre would include 16 two-bedroom apartments, 42 two- and 35 three-bedroom homes.
Council’s strategic planning spokesman said the current use of the site is a stone fruit orchard. “The proponent claims that an orchard venture is no longer viable in its own right,” he said.
“However, the proponent has not demonstrated whether other options for agriculture, including marketing, alternative crops or farming techniques, have been explored.
“There is a finite supply of land upon which agriculture depends — the proposed development would result in loss of potentially productive agricultural land.”
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Living Choice regional manager Gail Eyres said the seniors housing provider was “extremely disappointed”.
“There are two options available to us,” Ms Eyres said. “Make minor changes to the current designs, to the extent to which they can be varied under the current Site Compatibility Certificate (or) continue to lobby both the Hornsby Council and the NSW Planning Panel to convince them that our proposed design changes are both desirable and necessary for future residents of Living Choice Galston.
“At this stage, we intend to pursue this option.”
The Living Choice proposal was rejected on April 9, with Mr Debnam determining the proposal “has not demonstrated the proposed development is compatible with the surrounding environment and land uses”.
However, a fourth application for a 94 self-contained dwellings, ranging from one to two stories in height, and a two-storey community facility at 392 Galston and 5 Mid Dural roads, Galston.
A date for determination has not been set.
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