Frenchs Forest boarding house proposal thrown out by planning panel
Campaigners are claiming another win in the fight against boarding houses after a 39-room facility in Frenchs Forest was thrown out by the Northern Beaches Planning Panel. However, within hours of the decision being made the applicant appealed the decision.
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Residents are declaring a victory after plans for a 39 room boarding house were thrown out.
The $5 million proposal for Naree Rd, Frenchs Forest, was dismissed by the Northern Beaches Planning Panel on Wednesday.
However, the applicant Williamson Building Corporation has already announced it will appeal the decision.
Gopala Maurer, president of the Northern Beaches Strategic Community Group, said while it was encouraging that the panel had refused the application she said the system is broken.
“Developers are simply appealing the decisions and then they are getting through in the Land and Environment Court.
“The policies are clearly failing the community and loopholes are allowing these developments to get through.”
Williamson Building Corporation had submitted plans for a 39 room boarding house with on-site accommodation for a manager.
There was also planned to be basement level parking with space for 16 cars, 16 motorcycles and 16 bikes.
At Wednesday’s planning panel the applicant offered to reduce the number of units to 30.
However, the panel said the reduction did not go far enough and that the “bulk and scale” of the development was not in keeping with the overall character of the locality.
In its submission the applicant made a number of references to potential future rezoning in the area.
The panel said potential rezoning could not be taken into account.
The four panel members voted unanimously against the proposal.
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