Lane Cove Council’s November Meeting Agenda Packed with Big Issues

The Lane Cove Council November Meeting is on Monday 16th November 2020.  There are several issues on the agenda that have been hotly debated in the community and on ITC Lane Cove Chat.  Some of the recommendations set out in the Lane Cove Council officer’s reports have been objected to by the relevant Residents’ Association.

Bob Campbell Oval Redevelopment Plans

The community is in favour of upgrading the oval and the facilities (including Netball Courts).  The issue that has divided the community is whether or not the current turf oval should be replaced with a synthetic turf oval. 

Lane Cove Council officers are recommending Lane Cove Council go ahead with plans to upgrade the Oval by including a synthetic turf oval.

It is interesting to note the Lane Cove Council’s officer report mentions more than 1600 residents have expressed their opposition to a synthetic surface via a petition. In addition over 88% of all formal submissions to the Lane Cove Council objected to the proposed masterplan.  Despite these objections, Lane Cove Council is going ahead with the redevelopment plans put out for public comment.

The Greenwich Sports Club is in favour of a synthetic oval as it will mean that games will not be cancelled due to the oval being waterlogged and the oval will be of a standard acceptable to their governing body.

The GSC President told ITC the following:

“Naturally the submission describes what the GSC believes will support the best interests of the club today and in the future; whilst respecting the right of individual members to make their own personal determination on the merits of the proposal.

Given the long history that Greenwich Sports Club has in the community, we believe that our members and the wider community will appreciate the critical importance of improving the presentation of BCO if it is being used for organised sport (be that training or competitive play) or alternatively for casual public enjoyment.

As you will note should the Master Plan not be adopted – GSC faces an uncertain future we are a small very much local community focussed club that will be unable to match the facilities of nearby competitor clubs, and consequentially the longer-term viability of the club will be diminished at best or extinguished at worst (perhaps by way of amalgamation).

To read the full Greenwich Sports Club full submission click here – GSC BCO Master Plan Submission.”

The Greenwich Community Association (GCA) is not in favour of a synthetic surface.

To read the full GCA  submission click here GCA_submission_to_LCC_BCO_final_11120 (1)

The GCA advised its members the following:

“Council’s report recommends that the masterplan be approved and a synthetic surface installed at Bob Campbell Oval. However, this report fails to address many of the significant concerns raised in the community’s submissions.

The GCA calls on Council to defer a decision on Bob Campbell Oval. More time is necessary to allow councillors to get answers to many of the areas of community concern which Council has failed to address, including the long-term environmental implications of a synthetic surface. ”

Given that the number of submissions lodged with the Lane Cove Council wanted the oval to be upgraded but remain turf and not synthetic, ITC contact NSW Planning and asked if a DA was needed by council to go ahead with their plans and also if funding under the Precient Project Grant was linked to a synthetic turf upgrade

A Department spokesperson said:

“The Council is the appointed Crown land manager for the site and is the local planning consent authority.

If the work is consistent with the reserve purpose of public recreation and would not change the nature and use of the land, no further approval under the Crown Land Management Act 2016 is required.

Under the Precinct Support Scheme, if the Council wanted to change its scope of works and not include synthetic turf it could make an application to the Department to vary its funding agreement. The Department has not received an application from Council to vary its agreement in relation to this issue.”

GCA argues that changing the oval from a natural turf environment to a synthetic environment is changing the nature of the land and a DA is required.

Link to the relevant agenda item below.

Lane Cove Sports and Recreation Concept Plan – Lane Cove Golf Club Redevelopment

The Lane Cove Council Officer’s report recommends the following:

1. Proceed with the Multi-Sport Facility as shown in the Concept Design plan – click this link to see the plan
2. Undertake due diligence for the Multi-Sport Facility; including:-facility and program mix utilising the consultation feedback when undertaking further operator engagement, construction costs and funding models;
3. In relation to the future of the golf course, undertake further community consultation to identify if there are further golf options / components to options and provide further information on the proposed options before ultimately determining the broader community’s preference for the future use of the space;
4. Request the General Manager to develop a Community Consultation Plan and the Plan be presented to a Councillor Workshop.

There was community support for a new Multi Sports Facility despite objections from residents who live near the golf course.

Background information here.

Link to the relevant agenda item below.

Northwood Shops Development Control Plan

A Development Application has been submitted for a new aged care facility and commercial area in Northwood.

Lane Cove Councillors will be reviewing the community consultation for a proposed amendment to the Lane Cove Development Control Plan (DCP) for land at 4-18 Northwood Road and 274 and 274A Longueville Road, Lane Cove, known as the Northwood Shops or Northwood Neighbourhood Centre. The amendment aims to ensure that any development applications lodged for the land are consistent with the amended design that has resulted from the gazettal of the LEP clause relevant to the site (on 20 May 2020), which permitted an aged care residential facility to be developed in the Northwood Shops Neighbourhood centre.

One of the major concerns identified by the Longueville Residents Association and the Northwood Residents Association is the number of parking spaces included in the site plans.  The site is not only an aged care facility but also has a commercial component associated with the site.

The Lane Cove Council report notes:

“Nine (9) Issues were raised by community submissions (No. in brackets) that are relevant to the proposed DCP amendment:-

1. Parking rate (20)
2. Bushland protection (incl. solar access, stormwater,”plants”, etc) (14)
3. Street wall height (3^rdfloor setback) (5)
4. Commercial uses (6)
5. Deep soil boundaries (3)
6. Street trees (1)
7. Through-site link (1)
8. Measure of Height (1)
9. Landscaped area (1)”

Parking is the biggest issue.  Lane Cove Council officer report states:

“The 1space/40m2 “commercial” rate is set by Table 1 of Lane Cove DCP Part R, which applies within all “Commercial & Mixed Use development’ (except within 400m of St Leonards rail station). This rate applies across all B (commercial) zones, including B1 (neighbourhood shops) up to B4 Mixed Use. It is therefore considered appropriate to all commercial zones, including neighbourhood centres. Any change to this rate would have implications for all commercial zones, and falls outside the scope of this application. However, any D.A. would be assessed on merit giving consideration to the impact on the area in which it is situated.

The site appears to be no more isolated than other neighbourhood centres such as the Greenwich shops or Yorks Corner, which also lack the car parks and public transport service of busier centres.

Commercial use of the site is nominally proposed as “community wellbeing”. It has not been demonstrated that the proposed commercial element of the site requires more on-site commercial parking than other local suburban centres.”

Below is an extract of an email sent by the President of the Longueville Resident’s Association outlining the LRA concerns about parking spaces:

“I refer to the report … regarding the proposed Northwood Shops DCP and I respectfully disagree with his comments regarding the parking rate for Northwood Shops.

Please show me any neighbourhood centre in Lane Cove where there is a development of the same scale and magnitude as the proposed Pathways development. Mr Mason needs to compare apples with apples.

You may not know what I do for a living but I am Land Economist and Certified Practising Valuer with over 30 years experience.  My clients include local and state government agencies and multinational corporations who come to myself and my firm for strategic property advice. So when I speak to you on this topic I am speaking from 30 years of experience, two degrees and multiple post grad qualifications in this field.

I recommended a parking rate of 1 space per 25sqm of retail carspace for Northwood Shops in my submission to council based on an analysis of the cumulative impact of the Pathways and future developments at this locality.

I also note there is a 1 per 25sqm of retail space rate for service stations in the Lane Cove DCP. The report does not appear to have undertaken a similar analysis which is crucial to a full understanding.

I therefore respectfully request that the parking rate for Northwood Shops be amended to 1 space per 25 sqm of retail space.

Kind Regards
Ron Gedeon
President LRA
Land Economist

Have Your Say

If you would like to make a submission about any agenda items or any council issue you can address the Lane Cove Councillors before the Meeting to held on Monday, 19 October 2020.

To comply with the directives of the NSW Government and in the interests of public health the meeting will be conducted online.   Members of the public will not be permitted to attend the Council Chambers. Councillors are also not permitted to attend in person and will be participating in the meeting via video conference.

Council is currently trialling the use of video conferencing for the Public Forum by using the online meeting platform, Zoom.    A link to the video conference, which will include all Councillors attending the online Council meeting, will be made available by email for community members to participate.

All speakers wishing to participate in the public forum must register by using the online form no later than midnight, 15 November 2020.   A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to the provided email address.

The time limit of three minutes per address still applies so please make sure your submission meets this criteria. Alternatively, members of the public can still submit their written address via email to [email protected].

Full Council Agenda

Mayoral Minutes

• Mayoral Minute – Vale Councillor Deborah Hutchens Recommendation    Minute

Notices of Motion

• Traffic Management Plan for Access to the Pathways Development Recommendation    Minute

Officer Reports for Determination

• Presentation of Annual Financial Statements – Year Ended 30 June 2020 Recommendation    Minute
• Sport and Recreation Precinct Concept Plan – Post Consultation Recommendation    Minute
• Bob Campbell Oval Concept Plan – Post Consultation Recommendation    Minute
• Northwood Shops Residential Care Facility DCP – Post exhibition Report Recommendation    Minute
• Lane Cove Council Annual Report 2019-20 Recommendation    Minute
• Credit Card Management in Local Government Audit Recommendation    Minute
• Alcohol Free Zones – Parks/Reserves and St Leonards and Lane Cove Central Business Districts Recommendation    Minute
• Alcohol Free Zones – New Years Eve Recommendation    Minute
• Delivery Program and Operational Plan – First Quarter Review Recommendation    Minute
• 1st Quarter Review for 2020-2021 Budget Recommendation    Minute
• Schedule of Meetings 2021 Recommendation    Minute
• Council Nominations for the Sydney North Planning Panel Recommendation    Minute
• Traffic Committee – September 2020 Recommendation    Minute
• Council Snapshot October 2020 Recommendation    Minute