Clarence Valley Council debates ‘Gold Coast-like’ development proposal for 4 Harbour St, Yamba

A loud minority are pushing back against a proposed Yamba project – but a councillor has indicated radical change is inevitable no matter the decision.

An artist’s impression of proposed development at 4 Harbour St Yamba.

A northern NSW councillor has slammed claims a proposed new development on a prime spot of real estate will pave the way for a coastal town to become the next Gold Coast.

Clarence Valley Council debated at its recent meeting whether to approve four multi-dwelling housing units with pools on 4 Harbour St in Yamba.

The debate centred around the proposed setbacks not complying with the council’s development control plan (DCP).

A small but vocal number of Yamba residents have also complained about the proposal.

Objections related to concerns about the planned removal of trees, loss of river views from nearby Wooli St properties, noise generated by the pools and overdevelopment of the site.

An artist impression of the proposed development on 4 Harbour St, Yamba.

Councillor Karen Toms said during the meeting the DCP was “a guide” and it “could be changed”.

She said the development sits below the 12-metre height limit for the area and meets the objectives of an area zoned as medium density.

What 4 Harbour St, Yamba looks like now. Picture: Odessa Blain.

“One of the objections was: ‘I don’t like the look of it, it looks like the Gold Coast not Yamba’,” Ms Toms said in the meeting.

“(But) this is what’s going to happen in the future on Yamba hill – the little old houses are going to disappear and we’re going to get more high-density. It’s just going to happen.”

An aerial view of site of the proposed development (in red) at 4 Harbour St Yamba.

However, both Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy and councillor William Day said they were concerned about architects and planners supposedly flouting council’s DCP and what message it would send if the project was approved.

Mr Day said approval could “open the door to architects and developers to ignore the DCPs”.

Mr Clancy said he would be comfortable with a similar development on this site, but he too had concerns about variations to the development control plan.

“I just think we’ve got to be careful that we don’t keep approving these amendments to the DCP,” he said.

“Because we are sending out the message to the architects ‘don’t worry about the DCP requirements. If you exceed them, we will just approve anyway’.”

Councillor Karen Toms.

Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy.

Ms Toms tabled a motion seconded by councillor Debrah Novak to approve the development, provided there was an additional condition.

The conditions involve the developer submitting amended plans altering the setback on Harbour St to a minimum of 3.6m for consistency with an adjoining 5 Harbour St residence.

Councillors Toms and Novak’s resolution was passed.

The three dissenting voices who voted against the motion were Mr Clancy, Mr Day and councillor Jeff Smith.

Originally published as Clarence Valley Council debates ‘Gold Coast-like’ development proposal for 4 Harbour St, Yamba