A render of the New Shellharbour Hospital precinct. Photo: NSW Government.
Community concerns over the height and density of thousands of proposed homes have prompted Shellharbour councillors to send their response to the new hospital precinct and city centre precinct rezonings back for strengthening.
Residents fronted councillors with concerns about the scale of development and infrastructure needed to support two separate state-led rezoning proposals that could deliver a combined 11,700 homes around the new Shellharbour Hospital and city centre.
Councillors shared many of those concerns, with councillor Rob Petreski saying he had not had a single resident tell him the hospital precinct proposal was a “good idea”.
The two motions dealt with council’s endorsement of draft submissions for the State Government rezoning proposals, while a third motion put forward by councillors Kane Murphy and Kellie Marsh was to reclassify Dunmore Road in response to the impact of the hospital precinct.
The unusual shift to send the submissions back to staff came after councillor Kane Murphy asked council staff to provide a response to some of the community concerns raised about the significant increase in heights and densities, and whether the submissions should be updated to reflect those concerns.
Councillor Kellie Marsh said while putting infrastructure in place was reflected in the submission, what concerned her was not enough community consultation from the State Government.
“I would like our submission to be a lot stronger to reflect the community’s concerns, especially around the height and the density,” Cr Marsh said.
“Whilst it might make sense to us and to others, it’s their backyards, it’s their livelihoods.”
She called on the State Government to extend consultation and speak directly with affected communities, while also seeking greater consideration of environmental and Aboriginal impacts.
Cr Petreski said every resident in the public forum was saying the same thing.
“They’re worried about the bulk, the size, the scale, the infrastructure, and increasing pressures on current services that are provided,” Cr Petreski said.
“That was consistent throughout.
“I haven’t had one member of the community pull me up and say, ‘Hey, this is a good idea’.”
He said development was necessary but needed to be “sensible and controlled and well planned”, rather than feeling “forced and rushed”.
Mayor Chris Homer successfully moved for the hospital precinct to return to staff to incorporate concerns raised in the chamber and consider seeking an extension to the submission period.
On the Shellharbour City Centre rezoning submission motion, councillor John Davey moved to repeat the amendment from the hospital precinct rezoning for the city centre.
“We are the only city in Australia without an established CBD,” he said.
“All we have is a shopping centre and a council building.
“Therefore, I am supportive of the possibility of a vibrant city centre, where CBD residential commercial development will occur, and where the economic scale efficiencies of that centralisation will lessen the pressures on infrastructure from unfettered development in our older suburbs.”
However, he raised concerns about scale, density, infrastructure and whether existing roads could cope, particularly around the New Lake Entrance Road and Pioneer Drive roundabout and interchange, Reddall Parade and narrow Balarang streets.
He also opposed proposed six-storey development opposite existing homes between College Avenue and Tara Crescent and said the transition was “far too abrupt”.
“People embrace change when it’s done with them, as opposed to done to them,” he said.
Cr Marsh opposed through-roads through the existing Ballarang area and called for the rezoning to protect mature trees and habitat, while prioritising opportunities for aged care, supported disability housing and mental health services.
Cr Petreski also called for the TAFE and existing hospital lands to be protected, saying the city needed more housing but “not housing at any cost”.
Councillors also backed a separate motion from councillors Kane Murphy and Kellie Marsh to begin seeking the reclassification of Dunmore Road as a state road to support the new hospital precinct.
Cr Murphy said the current council-owned road already serviced waste and recycling facilities, quarry traffic, residents, schools, the train station, golf course and Rural Fire Service, with the new hospital and potentially 1700 additional homes set to increase pressure.
“The motion is about planning ahead and getting infrastructure right the first time,” he said.
Council’s hospital precinct submission calls for significant upgrades to Dunmore Road and identifies it as the primary access corridor while an alternative connection to the M1 via Tabbita Road is investigated.
“I don’t believe we should wait until the hospital is operating and congestion becomes a problem before asking who is responsible for fixing it,” he said.
The hospital precinct rezoning was passed unanimously, the city centre submission was passed with Crs Petreski and Moira Hamilton opposed, and the Dunmore Road reclassification was passed with Crs Petreski, Hamilton and Lou Stefanovski voting against.
