Two hundred people at one meeting and three hundred at another saying
an overwhelming "NO" to multistorey waterfront development is
a clear message to Shoalhaven Council that "it's not on"
Technical definitions of what is "high rise" are meaningless.
Ten stories in Martin Place Sydney is low rise, but four stories on the
waterfront in the Shoalhaven would be considered high rise.
The Huskisson proposal is full of concerning messages. The developers, the
Cerulli family, have been subjected to delay, cost and inconvenience over
a period of four years by council indecision.
A "no building" covenant on the lower waterside section of the
block was wiped out by the Local Environment Plan. The massive 11 metre
high proposed development of four shops, two offices, a restaurant and ten
residential units is not covered by the District Control Plan (DCP) as the
application predated the gazettal.
In any event, a DCP can be and was varied in Ulladulla, for example, to
allow a multi storey car park. The message is clear. Covenants and control
plans to control building and protect local amenity are no guarantee. Thus,
hundreds of residents in Vincentia who purchased land in neighbourhoods
protected by covenants must now feel less secure unless council takes decisive
action.
Beauty and the environment generates jobs and not just in tourism. Open
space on the waterfront dramatically increases the total building investment
in areas away from the water. Building investment around Ulladulla Harbour,
Lambs Point Vincentia and many other scenic areas in the Shoalhaven are
convincing testimony to what research has shown time and time again.
Council must have a clear and firm policy:
NO multistorey waterfront development in Shoalhaven and
preservation by acquisition (where necessary) of "signature"
areas of our city.
What makes the Huskisson Anti Waterfront High Rise Campaign interesting
is that none of the organising committee are anti development, most are
business people and some are developers.
John Hatton
Vincentia