PORT Stephens Council has approved a controversial development application for eight multi-dwelling houses at 23 Soldiers Point Road, Soldiers Point, following a split among councillors.
The site is currently occupied by a single-storey house, boat sheds and vegetation, which will be removed.
Four councillors raised objections to the development, which aims to encourage more infill housing in the LGA.
There were 64 A4 pages of objections from the community, but not a single positive comment, according to Cr Giacomo Arnott, who proposed a motion to refuse the application.
He also claimed the development is not permitted under the current Local Environmental Plan.
Cr Roz Armstrong said the application had been ‘contrived’ to meet the definition of multi-dwelling housing instead of residential flat buildings, which are not allowed under the current zoning.
The removal of a Blackbutt tree and Norfolk Island Pine, both identified as high value, was also raised as an environmental concern.
While compensatory planting has been proposed in the nearby area, Cr Armstrong said that she failed to see “how we can expect trees that are planted there to grow for the next hundred years”.
Another issue identified in the report presented to Port Stephens Council is that the development would exceed the site’s maximum allowable building height.
“I’m at a loss to understand how this development is permissible,” Cr Armstrong said.
Crs Arnott, Armstrong, Wells and Francis voted against the application, but were defeated by Mayor Anderson and Crs Errington, Watson, Doohan and Niland, who made no public comment on the proposal during the meeting.
By Nico LOMBARDO
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