Port Macquarie-Hastings Council cancels plans to sell Pacific Drive land

Plans for a residential block of flats on Pacific Drive has been denied approval by the NSW Government’s Northern Regional Planning Panel.

The Northern Regional Planning Panel has unanimously refused local council’s application to sell lots 101 and 102 on 10 and 13 Pacific Drive, Port Macquarie.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council entered into a Contract for Sale of the lots with Pacific Drive Pty Ltd on June 4 last year, with the sunset date being earlier this month, on March 4 (nine months on).

With the sunset date lapsing last week, council resolved to rescind the Contract for Sale of the land at their extraordinary meeting last Monday.

There were a number of arguments presented by local people standing against the development at the application meeting, which took place on Thursday, November 25, 2021.

“This was a closed door deal to sell off the land,” said a local historian and teacher who has lived in the area for 40 years, and is opposed to the development.

“We have a beautiful coastal walk, and this is the heart of Port Macquarie tourism – (the proposed building) will be an eyesore, it’s too high, and the site itself is of great (historical) importance.

“I believe it would be inappropriate to approve this controversial development … (of) an ugly, too high, profit-driven development.

“(The deal) was done behind closed doors and needs to be reviewed.”

Ed Coleman also spoke out on the matter, saying Port Macquarie-Hastings Council had “taken no thought to the impact on the surrounding precinct of Windmill Hill”.

“Had they (council) restricted their plans to three or even four storeys, there probably would have been minimal objection from surrounding property owners,” he reasoned.

“The environmental report that accompanied this DA (development application) clearly espoused the fabrication that koalas haven’t been seen in this area for years – this was just a blatant lie to support their case and the truth is, if this monstrosity goes ahead in its present form, then the odds are we shall indeed no longer see them (koalas) here.

“I don’t think the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has really considered the detrimental impact of this construction on local traffic flow, parking and the overshadowing of adjoining residences.”

The panel considered these arguments, as well as a variety of other community submissions, and noted concerns including those surrounding traffic, parking, safety of vehicles/cyclists/pedestrians, ecology, size and scale of the proposed building, the plan’s inconsistency with its desired character, conflicts of interest and probity concerns, sunlight access, potential noise impacts, loss of privacy and amenity, reduced property values, stormwater concerns, view losses, light pollution, and damage to adjoining properties during construction.

The group unanimously decided to reject the proposal, based on a number of factors including:

• Excessive height density,

• Loss of privacy to the west,

• Blocked views for western residents,

• Disruptions to local expectations due to height and bulkiness,

• Visual impacts to the coastal walkway and Pacific Drive to the east,

• Inconsistencies with State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) requirements,

• Insufficient evidence to address Apartment Design Guide (NSW Department of Planning and Environment), and

• Possible inaccuracies in Floor Space Ratio calculations.

Ultimately, council was forced not to proceed with the sale of the Pacific Drive lots.