No steep land zone in template

I refer to letters to the editor relating the draft Gosford LEP 2009 and in particular matters relating to steep land and residential planning controls.

The Standard Instrument LEP (i.e. template) has been provided by the NSW Department of Planning to Councils throughout NSW for implementation.

The template LEP does not contain the option for the use by councils of a zone that is similar to the existing Restricted Development 9(c) - Steep Land zone that currently applies to the subject land at Pearl Beach.

Council in preparing the draft Gosford LEP 2009 has sought to use the planning mechanisms available under the Standard LEP Template to achieve similar objectives to those that presently apply under the Restricted Development 9(c) zone.

The R2 - General Residential zone permits similar uses to the Restricted Development 9(c) zone.

Most additional uses permitted in the R2 zone are unlikely to be undertaken on the land because of the high value of existing development ie dwelling houses, or the development controls restrict the development from being permitted on steep land e.g. cut and fill restrictions for secondary dwellings (per SEPP Affordable Rental Housing 2009.

It was determined that the zoning of the steep land was not the primary issue in relation to the land, but the level of development potential.

The Standard Instrument LEP Template provides that Councils can set, through mapping, the minimum lot size for each parcel of land.

To ensure that the former Restricted Development 9(c) land was not able to accommodate a higher potential for development, council applied a minimum 1850 square metres subdivision size to this land.

This minimum is the same that applies currently to the Restricted Development 9(c) land. This minimum lot size will ensure that no future subdivision can occur on the subject land at Pearl Beach.

In the preparation of the planning controls for residential development for the Woy Woy Peninsula, council has had extensive community input into the preparation of the strategies such as the Peninsula Urban Directions Strategy and the Urban Design Framework Study that have formed the basis for these controls.

In summary, the Standard Instrument LEP does not cater for many of councils' current planning provisions; hence there are many variations and implications resulting in the DLEP 2009.

One major aim of the Standard Instrument LEP is to standardise all LEPs across the state. Council has also prepared strategies e.g. draft Gosford Landuse, Residential and Centres, to inform the DLEP.

The DLEP has been reviewed and altered by the Department of Planning to be consistent with the Central Coast Regional Strategy and various State Government policies, plans and strategies.

The DLEP has capacity to cater for the State Government's employment and housing targets outlined in the Central Coast Regional Strategy released in 2008.

Further, council has conducted numerous meetings with peak bodies relating to building design and development, as well as Chambers of Commerce during the preparation of the planning controls.

Council continues to discuss the planning controls with these groups and has recently held a forum with building designers to discuss the issues they wished council to address.

Letter, 27 May 2010 Cr Chris Holstein, Gosford mayor