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Council defend appeal on flats

 

Gosford Council is to defend an appeal in the Land and Environment Court against its refusal of permission to build a five-level residential flats building at 314-320 Trafalgar Avenue, Umina Beach.

The council development assessment unit recommended refusal of the development application (DA) on February 11 giving a number of reasons:

The building would not comply with council development control policy because of its height and bulk.

It was out of character with both existing and future development in the area.

The approval would create a precedent for development in excess of three storeys.

The proposed building would create a detrimental impact both visually and with regard to privacy and overshadowing on existing residential development on the western side of Norman St at the rear of the site.

The proposal was also said to be "not in the public interest".

The cost to defend the appeal would be about $60,000.

The council was told that because of the nature of the case, the council was responsible for its own legal costs irrespective of the outcome.

Council Agenda FS.020, February 26