Austin Butler, Gosford Bowling Club land should have environmental assessment
The Local Planning Panel says it does not support the reclassification of RE1- Public Recreation land.
This includes the Austin Butler reserve at Woy Woy, Gosford Bowling Club and another three parcels of land.
Council-under-administration asked the LPP for advice on its plans to reclassify 11 blocks of community land to operational land in a first step to selling or leasing the 11 blocks.
The panel said it supported reclassification of six other sites.
The minutes show the Local Planning Panel advised:
“ 1. The Panel supports the reclassification of land except those sites zoned SP2 – Infrastructure or RE1 – Public Recreation.
“Such sites should be deferred until the completion of an environmental assessment of their rezoning potential,” the panel stated.
“Once completed, appropriate classification of the sites can be determined.
“If required any future planning proposal would include:
“Rezoning of the land including supporting environment assessment studies, and
“Reclassification of the land under the Local Government Act 1993.”
So, in essence, the panel was ok with the reclassification except for the RE1 – Public Recreation land because eventually it would be rezoned.
The Council argued it didn’t need to deal with the rezoning process at this stage while the panel put forward the proposal that an environmental assessment of their rezoning potential should come before a combined reclassification and rezoning in one planning proposal.
Council’s proposal includes five sites zoned RE1:
1. 48W Wallarah Road, Gorokan (foreshore land Wallarah Bay Recreation Club)
2. 191 Wallarah Road, Kanwal (community hall and car park – downstairs is licenced to Wyong
Rugby Leagues Club Group)
3. Part 2-4 Park Road, The Entrance (Green Bowling Club)
4. 18 Dane Drive, Gosford (Gosford City Bowling Club)
5. About 4,000sqm of Austin Butler Reserve Access, Woy Woy.
The other six sites included a sliver of land at the rear of the former Gosford Council buillding which is zoned commercial; Flat, level land containing Norah Head Community Hall which is beyond repair and requires demolition and is zoned residential; land at Yaralla Rd Toukley which was earmarked for car parking but is now proposed for affordable housing; and land at Kemira Road Lake Munmorah which is earmarked for a road and zoned as such.
Council Watch expects an announcement at the Council meeting next week with Administrator Rik Hart’s response to the panel’s advice.
See the tab at top of the page “LPP Decisions” for more September planning panel decisions.
