Shell Cove developers will not back down from a plan to increase height limits and add an extra 318 homes within the boat harbour, despite hundreds of objections from residents.
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Frasers and Shellharbour council, which are jointly building the massive waterfront estate, on Thursday revealed their response to submissions about changes to the approved 2011 concept plan.
Despite making no changes other than “minor corrections and updates”, Fraser’s Development Director Glenn Colquhoun was hopeful that a comprehensive explanation of the changes would convince objectors (and the planning department) that the new plan should be approved.
“We acknowledge that we didn’t do as well as we could have with community consultation at the outset and that was an oversight on our part,” he said.
“What we’re trying to do is put as much information out as possible and allow people to make their own minds up now that we’ve addressed all their issues.”
The concept plan modification proposal was placed on exhibition last September.
Of particular concern to residents was an increase to height limit of the hotel building from nine-storeys to 11-storeys high, and the rasing of many apartment buildings from four to six storeys.
Residents were also concerned about the amount of traffic the extra residents would generate and the change in “character” due to congestion and changes to views.
The developers have now developed a website and engaged a long list of consultants to justify why the changes need to be made.
They have also developed a number of “before and after” images showing the contrast between the approved and proposed plan.
“Frasers have engaged experts in different fields to look at all the submissions … I think that giving this information to the community will allay a number of people’s fears,” Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba said.
“We have had a looks at things like traffic, for example, to see if it will have an impact and [according to the consultant], no it doesn’t.
“We’ve looked at the views, and there is only a very slight impact in some cases, and an improvement in some cases.
“I don’t believe we need to make any changes to these plans. Hopefully residents will get some confirmation from these experts that their concerns are not issues that should impact on the project.”
She said the changes that had been proposed were necessary, as the 2011 plan had been a broad plan lacking in finer detail.
“This was not a final detailed plan, and we want to make sure that the waterfront does what it was intended to do,” Cr Saliba said.
“What we know now is that, in environments where there are people living and socialising within the same area, are safer, much better utilised and they are much more lively places where people want to be.”
Residents are invited to attend consultation evenings next Monday and Wednesday. They will be held at Shell Cove Public School from 5-8pm.
The full response can be viewed www.frasersproperty.com.au/nsw/shell-cove/concept-plan-response