SHOALHAVEN City Council has again been asked to consider a proposal to rezone land at North Nowra for a 400 lot housing development.
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Applicants Huntingdale Developments Pty Ltd and Southbank Land Pty Ltd have requested the proposal for Warrah Road, Bangalee be further considered prior to proceeding further with a Gateway determination issued by the state government.
The proponent seeks to have the land in question rezoned from rural to residential to allow the proposal to go ahead. The large parcel of land is bordered by Warrah Road and Lochaven Drive Bangalee to the north, Gypsy Point Road to the west, Coconut Drive to the east and almost as far as Crams Road, North Nowra to the south.
Council’s director of Planning and Development Tim Fletcher said the Gateway determination was the first stage in the rezoning process.
“It is a streamlined system councils can use where the proposal is forwarded to the state government which gives an initial indication whether the proposal would or could be approved or not,” Mr Fletcher.
“After that council considers the application and if adopted in principle it can move forward in the planning process for rezoning.”
Mr Fletcher said the proposal had previously been considered under for Gateway determination but the project footprint had been reduced following a peer review of two environmental studies; one undertaken by the applicant the other by council.
“The applicants provided their environmental study. Council had its own review and there was significant differences so an independent consultant did a peer review,” he said.
“Based on the information available it was believed the footprint should be reduced. The peer review also stated a number of other surveys had not been undertaken.
“The applicants have now done another environmental study and council will again have to look at the report before decided what action to take.”
Mr Fletcher said the applicants are proposing around 400 lots, however three adjoining two acre blocks owned by other people potentially could become part of the rezoning which may add an additional 50 lots.
He said the Roads and Maritime Services had previously expressed some concerns about possible future rezoning in North Nowra and the potential impact they may have on Illaroo Road intersection and the Shoalhaven River bridge crossing.
“The RMS expressed some concerns with the potential congestion build up on Illaroo Road, which was an issue that needed to be addressed,” he said.
“We will go through the additional environmental study and get an independent expert to review that study and prepare a report for council. If there is to be any change in the development footprint, we will go need to go back to the state government and seek a change in the Gateway determination to reflect that new development footprint.”
He expected that process to take some time and a report would be made to council some time next year.
Mr Fletcher confirmed unauthorised clearing had previously been carried out on a portion of the applicants land which was now subject of a remediation order.
“The state government’s Department of Planning said the area subject of remediation was not allowed to support residential development and was to be zoned environmental protection,” he said.