The seniors village development in Lakewood Drive is looking more likely as Bega Valley Shire Council and developer Justice Fox Property have a draft in principle agreement which is on exhibition until December 17.
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The development was refused by the Southern Regional Planning Panel in August 2023.
But the question remains whether three less units, an underground car park and a free footpath will be sufficient to quell community concerns over the bulk and scale of the proposed development.
The draft agreement - if signed by both parties - provides conditional consent to the amended DA supplied to council on November 8.
As part of the in principle agreement, Justice Fox Property has offered to construct a footpath of minimum width 1.5metres from the seniors village to the existing lakefront boardwalk.
The amended plan has 86 units instead of the original 89 but still exceeds the height limit by approximately 3metres on the western area of the development.
A complying seniors development can go up to 13.8metres. However the height limit for the area is 10metres and one of the major objections has been its size, scale and bulk. It has been regarded as out of character with the surrounding development which has tended to be one and two storey buildings.
Much of the car parking has been put underground to provide more landscaping and space around the units. This has allowed the development to be oriented slightly differently to provide a bit more space between the units and nearby homes.
But asset protection zone, biodiversity and traffic management issues have been raised for the development.
Residents are concerned that should the development go ahead, the noise and construction traffic would be unacceptable. They are also worried about traffic levels on Lakewood Drive which is the only road in and out of the development.
IN OTHER NEWS:
A Biodiversity Assessment Report (BDAR) has been submitted with the application as the development triggers the Biodiversity Offset Scheme under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
The amended DA is on exhibition. Submissions should be received before December 17 at council@begavalley.nsw.gov.au or by post to The Chief Executive Officer, Bega Valley Shire Council, PO Box 492, BEGA NSW 2550.
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Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
