A final draft Nelson Bay Strategy is recommended for adoption at the Council meeting on 24 April, but TRRA is lobbying hard to reverse last minute changes which would allow higher buildings anywhere in the town centre.

The draft placed before the Council Committee meeting on 10 April  would have permitted a bonus 2 storeys across both the foreshore and remainder of the town centre if a developer could demonstrate outstanding design excellence and a strategic public benefit.  This would take the limits to 5 storeys on the marina precinct, 7 storeys in the town centre, and 9 storeys south of Dowling St.  In addition a storey was to be defined as up to 3.5 metres (currently 3m) which also added to the overall potential height.

Following an address to the Council Committee on behalf of TRRA and Econetwork challenging these proposed changes, Councillors voted 6 to 4 for an amendment proposed by planners to cap heights on most of the foreshore at 3 stories and retain the limit, everywhere, for storeys above the ground floor to be no more than 3 metres.

While this change was welcome, the 2 storey bonus remains available for all other areas, and on the Fishermens’ Co-op part of the foreshore would allow up to 6 storeys.TRRA believes that the 2 storey bonus privilege should be be restricted to the four specified  ‘Opportunity  Sites’, justified on sound planning grounds.

The TRRA General Meeting on 16 April expressed strong concern at the prospect of opening the entire town centre to increased height limits.  TRRA and Econetwork have been contacting Councillors to draw their attention to this concern, which was also confirmed by the recent Hunter Valley Research Foundation study.

TRRA and Econetwork are urging Council to confine the 2 storey bonus to the Opportunity sites only. Our joint position is set out HERE and in a Press Release HERE.