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A proposed $78 million development proposal for the Caringbah residential-medical precinct, containing 50 per cent affordable housing, has been refused for a second time.
Sydney South Planning Panel made the unanimous decision after a Sutherland Shire Council assessment found the amended proposal still "presents as an overdevelopment of the site".
The proposal covered 16 home sites at 6-20 Hinkler Avenue and 319-333 Taren Point Road, Caringbah.
The planning panel gave multiple reasons for refusing the project, covering features such as building height, floor space, solar access, setbacks, apartment design and urban design.
The council assessment said the proposal "includes affordable housing with which Council is supportive and encourages, particularly given the proximity to Sutherland Hospital and established public transport infrastructure".
"However, the shortfalls with the proposal will create real, and significant amenity impacts within the site and create a poor interface between the public and private domains," the assessment report said.
"The proposal includes inadequate setbacks and lack of landscaping. The issues are primarily symptoms of a proposal which is too big for the site and the proposal is therefore recommended for refusal."
Earlier - July 14, 2023
A new development application (DA) has been lodged for a major project in the Caringbah residential-medical precinct near Sutherland Hospital.
The first DA was refused by Sydney South Planning Panel in a 4-1 vote after a council assessment concluded it would be an overdevelopment of the site.
The project, with an estimated construction cost of $78 million, would cover 16 home sites at 6-20 Hinkler Avenue and 319-333 Taren Point Road, Caringbah.
A total of 242 apartments are proposed in two six-storey buildings and a third block, at the northern end closest to the hospital) would be entirely for medical facilities. There would be a shared, two-level basement car park.
Fifty per cent of total residential floor area would be for Affordable Housing under the SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policy).
The new DA said there was "a clearly established housing affordability issue in Sydney including Sutherland Shire" and noted the council's acknowledgement of the need in various planning documents.
The new DA said "the vision for the site" was based on the following key principles:
- "The consolidation of the health services facility floor space as one distinct component of the development, rather than distributed across the development, to better facilitate a purposeful medical facility on the site;
- "A 'precinct' approach to the site which optimises site permeability with the introduction of a publicly accessible through-site-link that serves to greatly improve connectivity of the local area, as well as being able to accommodate an ambulance in the event that emergency vehicle access is required to the health services facility;
- "Retention and protection of the majority of existing street trees;
- "A distribution of built form across the site in a manner that achieves a better integration with the emerging context of the site than that which is anticipated by the DCP."