Councillors have been updated on progress on several special projects in the MidCoast Council area, including rezoning land industrial at Taree South.
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An application has been received for an industrial rezoning of land to the east of Manning River Drive, Taree South, behind the existing commercial area, extending from Stitts Creek south to behind Gnomes Landscaping and Garden Supplies.
The proposal contains plans for a service station opposite the existing highway service centre.
Councillors were told the applicant is revising the application following discussion with council on boundaries and the level of work required for the development to have merit.
Council has received an application for a highway service centre at Bulahdelah, on the eastern side of the Pacific Highway at the northern interchange, just off the southbound exit land.
Council has provided the applicant with feedback on what work is required for the project to be acceptable under council’s policy.
Council is providing similar feedback to the applicant seeking to establish a Tea Gardens highway service centre, proposed to be located on the western side of the highway accessed through the Station Creek Rest Area.
Myall River Downs is a major urban release for Tea Gardens, behind the industrial area between Myall Way and Port Stephens. The development is about 350 hectares in size and may include up to 1600 residential lots, expansion of the industrial area, public open space and environmental zones.
Councillors were told the application is at the initial review stage to determine whether it is acceptable under council’s policy.
Council is also considering a medium density expansion of Haws Nest village between the golf course and the beach. This application is at the initial review stage as well.
The processing of applications for rezonings and development control plans has been hampered by the merger of Greater Taree, Great Lakes and Gloucester councils. In February 2017 council adopted a policy that harmonised these applications and standardised fees.
Due to the number of projects on council’s works program at the time of the merger, council had little capacity to process new applications.
However with the appointment of a special projects coordinator, Richard Pamplin, last October, council can now process new applications. This position is funded from fees from these applications.
Mr Pamplin told councillors that while the additional position enabled processing of applications, the number of applications able to be dealt with by one person is limited due to their complexity and time taken for such applications to be processed – generally 12 months to three years per application.
“To provide for a greater number of applications to be processed, the policy allows council to outsource the review and processing of these applications to planning consultants at the applicant’s cost,” he said.
“To date, all applicants have been happy to take up this option to enable their application to proceed.”