Randwick Council - Planning C'tee - 12 June 2012
No doubt, the Local Environment Plan process was enough controversy for our Councillors this year.
Onto the current meeting agenda and many applications relate to amendments to previously approved development consents by Council. This being a clever way by developers to squeeze even more out of their sites, particularly when a formal SEPP1 for the additional breaches of development standards isn’t required for this. Nice. Here’s an idea, why don’t Council have their own policy saying that a SEPP1 equivalent document must be produced when the modification request results in further non-compliances with the development standards ?
There are 4 “development consent modification requests” for multi-unit buildings at this meeting, with only 1 recommended for refusal.
The worst (in my view) - recommended for approval is 10-20 Anzac Parade Kensington (just back from the intersection with Alison Road). Approved already is a 31 unit development over 4 levels which already breached the floor space ratio (1.09 to 1 instead of 0.9) and height limits. Now, some of the ‘generous’ balconies planned are to become smaller and the units larger, but this is ‘acceptable’ as there is no overall change to the ‘building envelope’. Cute. It gets worse, as we learn that 2 x 2 bed units are to be converted to 4 x 1 bed units. Cheeky. Maybe ‘pre-sales’ were slow for the 2 bed units, which might have something to do with the price. The wash-up is floor space ratio is now 1.18 to 1. Hopefully, in the revised Development Control Plan currently under construction, by Council staff (partner to the Local Environment Plan) we can see some limits for balcony sizes (max & min and also those sexy sounding ‘building envelopes’.
A little further down Anzac Parade and on the other side (behind the 5 level Unilodge building and Bank of Queensland branch) is 32-34 Grosvenor St Kensington, again recommended for approval. The request is to correct a ‘survey error’. It seems that a right-of-way along one boundary was included in the land size calculation. The result is floor space increases from 0.92 to 0.96 to 1 and landscaping which previously met the 50% requirement is now 42%. Survey error, you wouldn’t bank on it.
Down the hill to Coogee and at 83 Bream Street, just west of the intersection of Arden Street there is the conversion of storage space to make a unit larger. Given the unusual multi-level configuration of this unit, wait for the next modification request to split into 2 units.
Finally, we come to 483-485 Bunnerong Road Matraville, recommended for refusal. Here the developer sought to change the configuration of units and add bedrooms to some. As the building approved already extends to each side boundary, it seems the latest proposal was a step too far.
Onto the good stuff …
At 2 Kensington Road, Kensington, but facing onto Tunstall Avenue, a 128 bed aged care facility is planned, to replace a smaller facility, the site being part of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. An approval for a ‘master plan’ is being sought, the main concerns being impacts on the other heritage buildings on the site. The six level buildings proposed will be subject to future development applications. Distance from neighbouring homes meant only 1 objection was received.
Finally, for Heffron Park Maroubra, a ‘master plan’ has been submitted by Council itself. The plans, accessed by an external consultant, are for staged remediation of the park (some parts are contaminated) over 5 – 10 years. This all follows plans here by Council for the reconstruction of the Des Renford Pool, now to include a gym as well as upgrades to cycle club buildings. Let’s hope that pool and gym are a money spinner
Comments
By submitting your comment you agree to our community agreement / terms of use.