After community pressure, the state government says it’s reviewing a policy that has seen boarding houses spring up around Newcastle’s suburbs.
It could come too late for an elderly Waratah couple, with council set to approve a 26-room home next door.
See story below
STATEMENT FROM NEWCASTLE MP TIM OWEN
The boarding house proposal for Dawson Street in Waratah was lodged with Newcastle
City Council and the Department of Planning and Infrastructure has not had any
involvement.
However, the Government’s Affordable Housing Policy is under review and the
Planning Bill currently before the NSW Parliament proposes a new policy approach
to this issue.
Under the new planning system, local plans will play a key role in deciding how
affordable housing is incorporated in a specific area.
These local plans will be created in conjunction with local councils and
communities, ensuring that residents get a say upfront on where affordable housing
is located.
STATEMENT FROM DEVELOPER SPOKESMAN
The proposed boarding house represents an opportunity to provide an
additional affordable housing option within walking distance of the
commercial precinct of Waratah.
The additional housing provided by this development comes at a time when
affordable housing options are in high demand across the Newcastle LGA,
including within the suburb of Waratah and others in close proximity to
Newcastle University.
The application has been the subject of a rigorous assessment by Newcastle
Council to ensure the proposal complies with, or exceeds, the standards and
guidelines stipulated by both Council and the NSW Government for this form
of development. This includes minimum standards for room size, occupancy
limitations, car parking, disabled access and fire safety within the
buildings along with ensuring the development will not have a significant
impact on the amenity provided to the neighbouring properties, with a
particular focus on potential overlooking and over shadowing of these
allotments.
The outcome of this assessment process has been refinement to the proposal
which has included, but is not limited to:
*Reduction in both the number of boarding rooms and the total building footprint of the development;
*Increased amount of landscaping around the proposed buildings;
*Design changes to reduce potential overlooking onto adjoining allotments; and
*Improvements to onsite vehicle manoeuvring.
Accordingly Newcastle Council staff will be recommending approval of the
proposed boarding house when it is reported to the elected Council.
Please note also that the boarding house will require a manager to be
available at all times, to oversee the operation of the facility and to
attend to community concerns as required. This will be a condition of
consent for the development.
This 26 room building that is going to be placed on the property is a huge inconvenience for everyone in waratah, not to mention myself concidering i actually live in the house that is currently on the property at this point in time. I am a single mother with three children and my neighbour who is also a single mother with a ten month old baby are both going to now have to look for somewhere else to live. Needless to say it is very difficult to find anywhere reasonably priced in this area and there are not alot of options. The streets around this particular area where this development is being built are allready extremely crowded. Imagine how bad the roads will be now with this monstrosity being built with a school at either end of the street and another two in the surrounding streets. Residents who live in this atreet allready have a hard time getting in and out of driveways with the amount of congested traffic everyday. This is NOT right!!!!!!!
Hoping you and your neighbour find somewhere nice to live. Maybe the developer should help to find a new place for you and your neighbour.
Take care.