Delay In $2mill Hostel For Aged
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday March 5, 2002
A LAKE Macquarie City Council committee has de-ferred plans to build a $2million aged care hostel on a prime waterfront site at Swansea.
Councillors last night decided to inspect the Northcote Ave site on Friday before considering the development application for the 32-bed centre at Black Neds Bay.
The Sisters of St Joseph, who last year closed their Lochinvar nursing home, have formed a partnership with non-profit organisation Southern Cross Homes to build the new hostel.
Representatives of the applicant and residents who have objected to the plan will address the council next Monday night. The plan has been recommended for ap-proval by council staff.
The 3223sq metre site has four cottages and a community building that are used as self-contained accommodation units for the aged.
One of the cottages would be demolished and a two-storey 20-bed aged care building constructed.
The remaining three cottages would be converted for 12 beds while the community building would have a kitchen for residents' meals.
The council received four objections to the development application from neighbours opposing the bulk and scale of the project and concerned about overshadowing, loss of privacy and car parking.
Pending council approval, the centre is expected to be built and open by late this year.
The development application was made under State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) No. 5 - Housing Development for Older People and People with a Disability.
The council committee has approved construction of 18 residential units in Charlestown.
The Warners Bay Rd development was approved despite multi-dwellings being prohibited on the site under the council's draft Local Environmental Plan. Twelve townhouses and six villas will be built on the site.
But the council committee rejected plans to build 18 residential units in Coal Point.
The Coal Point Rd plan was refused on a series of grounds including concerns about the slope of the land, the size of the development and a lack of car parking.
© 2002 Newcastle Herald
