Penrith Council calls for Glenmore Park Opal aged care centre to be rejected
The development application in Sydney’s west has caused uproar from residents.
Penrith
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Controversial plans for a $39 million aged care centre to be built at Glenmore Park have been deferred by a Joint Regional Planning Panel, following calls from Penrith Council to reject the proposal.
The development application for 5 to 7 Floribunda Ave was submitted to Penrith Council for assessment on June 25 and proposed the construction of a three-storey residential aged care facility featuring a total of 142 beds.
The site was formerly a centre for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and neighbours the Floribunda Community Centre and Glenmore Loch and was deferred over isues relating to parking, congestion and road access.
Council’s planning representatives said although the development by Opal Aged Care was permissible for the low density zoning of the site, it raised concerns around the design of the aged care centre’s scale and setbacks proposed, as well as the need for greater tree retention on the site.
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“The proposals impacts on the character of the area and on the amenity of neighbouring residential properties is unsupportable and necessitates substantial amendments to the design of the development and associated landscaping and earthworks,” a planning representative said in the report to the NSW Panel.
A series of objections were also submitted against the proposed development, including 19 formal objections and a 117-person petition.
“The issues raised within the received submissions relate primarily to traffic generation, tree and vegetation loss, incompatible design and State Environmental Planning Policies non compliances, noise generation and waste management concerns,” the report said.
However, the development application argues the centre would attract 140 new jobs to the region and promotes “economically and ecologically sustainable development.
“(The site) is suitably located in proximity to commercial, medical and public transport,” the report said.
“The project vision is to provide a new residential aged care facility for a vibrant residential community, within a modern and efficient building.
“The proposal balances providing an operationally efficient facility, while still delivering a quality design outcome.”
Planners for the project said the development ensures minimal environmental impacts and “is compatible with surrounding development”.
Panel chair, Justin Doyle, raised issues with the inclusion of a car park and if it is an appropriate design and compatible with the development.
Four residents addressed the panel, raising issues in terms of parking congestion and road access.
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Jake McCallum is an Urban Affairs reporter covering development and local government regions across Sydney’s north west and western suburbs. Continue the conversation on twitter.