Pittwater Life July 2024 Issue

News
Northern Beaches Council
has suspended work on the
Mona Vale Place Plan.
Council’s Director Planning
and Place Louise Kerr confirmed
the halt at a tumultuous
June Council meeting which
saw the 2024-25 Operational
Budget passed only by Mayor
Sue Heins’ casting vote.
Also tabled at the meeting
was a June 2023 report on the
Mona Vale Community and
Cultural Precinct which revealed
two options for the longawaited
Art Space at Council’s
Mona Vale Civic Precinct – with
costs of $13.5 million and $19.7
million respectively based on
construction in 2028-29.
Council first promised the
Mona Vale Art Space in February
2019 – with indicative costings
of just $3.5 million.
Pittwater Ward Councillor
Michael Gencher said he was
staggered at the cost rise and
also disappointed at the delay
of the release of the report.
“Given the report was
UP IN THE AIR: The
Mona Vale Place Plan.
prepared over 12 months ago
it’s fair to assume the price
blowout is not representative of
the current financial situation,”
he said.
“I will be questioning why
staff sat on this report for so
long.”
The $13.5 million option
proposes an “isolated” art
space, separate to the Library
and Memorial Hall, while the
$19.7 million option proposes
an “integrated” plan within the
Civic block.
However, Council’s executive
summary casts serious doubt
on whether the Art Space will
Mona Plan suspended
New Beaches LEP drafted
After four years of studies
and public consultation,
Northern Beaches
Council will advance its
proposal for a new, consolidated
Local Environmental
Plan (LEP) to the NSW Government.
If approved, the proposed
LEP would dissolve the current
four different LEPs and
Development Control Plans
which have been in operation
since the Council was
amalgamated in 2016.
Mayor Sue Heins said the
new LEP does not propose
significant new development;
rather, it proposes
to implement Council’s
Local Housing Strategy to
provide more options for
different types of housing
to meet the demand for
more affordable and diverse
housing stock, such as dual
occupancy.
Once finalised, the LEP
will provide consistent controls
and land use zoning
throughout the LGA; protection
of land with identified
ever be delivered.
It noted the Civic Precinct
building adjoining Village Park
was now required for operational
purposes to relocate existing
Council staff from Vuko
Place Warriewood and the Dee
Why Civic precinct.
Also, the long-term financial
plan had not identified the
project for funding and there
was limited opportunity for
a return on Council’s capital
investment, staff said.
It concluded that to fully
realise the potential of either
option to convert the site into
a vibrant cultural and community
hub, “an increase in
service levels and additional
net operational funding per annum
would be required”.
Ms Kerr said work on the
Mona Vale Place Plan had been
suspended due to the State
Government draft reforms on
low-rise and mid-rise housing.
Council was “at the critical
stage” of needing to procure
traffic investigations based on
likely increased housing capacity
around the Village centre,
she said.
Responding to a Councillor
question Ms Kerr said the
Place Plan committee and all
councillors had been informed
of the Mona Vale Place Plan
suspension.
Councillors accepted staff’s
recommendation to note the
report on the Mona Vale Community
and Cultural precinct
and the operational needs of
the Mona Vale Civic Centre site.
– Nigel Wall
*What do you think? Tell us at
readers@pittwaterlife.com.au
high environmental values;
greater clarity for the community
on what can and
cannot be done on properties;
extended opportunities
for dual occupancies in
low rise residential areas;
better controls to protect
urban character (e.g. FSR,
landscaping, development
controls in centres); and
sustainability controls for
large-scaled urban developments.
“The draft recognises
the unique characteristics
of our neighbourhoods
and protects our precious
environment while meeting
our housing needs for the
future,” said Mayor Heins.
“It will harmonise existing
planning rules across
the area and deliver more
consistency and surety in
planning outcomes.
“Once the NSW Government
have confirmed the
draft meets requirements
we will go back to the community
once more so they
can have their say.” – LO
14 JULY 2024
The Local Voice Since 1991