Batemans Bay: Former Eurobodalla mayor Neil Mumme lodges plans for $11.5m apartment complex
A former south coast mayor has taken the housing crisis into his own hands, lodging plans for a five-storey apartment complex in Batemans Bay. Find out why he says the plans are a no-brainer.
The South Coast News
Don't miss out on the headlines from The South Coast News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A former south coast mayor has taken the housing crisis into his own hands, lodging plans for a five-storey apartment complex in Batemans Bay.
Former Eurobodalla mayor Neil Mumme is behind the proposal for an $11.5m building at 1A Bent St, neighbouring a shopping strip.
When speaking to this publication, Mr Mumme said such apartment complexes were required to address the regional housing shortage which had plagued the Eurobodalla area for “a long time”.
“There’s a major accommodation shortage everywhere in Australia at the moment,” he said.
“I read an article this morning that NSW is 75,000 homes short.”
The property developer, who served as mayor between 2003-2008, said council needed to facilitate the best possible use of land.
“It makes sense to redevelop old houses from the 1960s into larger complexes which can house, frankly, hundreds of people,” Mr Mumme said.
The plans, which are yet to be approved, comes as discussions have began in the council chambers to increase building height limits in Batemans Bay’s CBD beyond five stories.
The possibility of the height limits increasing arose after all expressions of interest for the development site on the Princes Hwy next to the Bay Pavilions ranged from 30m to 70m high.
A Eurobodalla Shire Council spokesman said the height limit review was in “very early stages”.
“It’s a strategy that’s in development at the moment,” he said. “However, the principals are taken to council next week.”
Plans for possible apartment at 1A Bent St:
If approved, the new apartment will be situated in Batemans Bay’s CBD, opposite a shopping mall and next to a commercial area.
Mr Mumme said there would be “no impact to any surrounding neighbours”.
“There is a total lack of impact and there has been no opposition to the proposal,” he said.
Sitting tall at five stories, the possible apartment would be exclusively residential.
The building would also feature an underground car park for residents.
The former mayor did not expect for there to be obstacles in the development getting the green light.
“Apartments like this are popping up around Batemans Bay all the time now, it’s just the future,” he said.
“We’re very eager to get started on it and I don’t imagine there will be any problems in having it approved.”
‘The people have spoken’: Meet the elected south coast mayors
The people have spoken and the elected mayors of the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega Valley have been chosen. Meet them here.
‘No baggage’: Highlands voters reject controversial former councillors
Controversial former councillors have been rejected at the ballot box in the Southern Highlands, receiving some of the lowest vote numbers among candidates as Wingecarribee Shire Council transitions out of administration.