The government architect has rightly condemned the Coogee Bay Hotel Part 3A development proposal. Despite this the Minister for Planning has still not refused the project. The Planning Minister has just given the Coogee Bay developer a second go to get an approval under Part 3A.
That fact that it has taken the unique intervention of the government architect into the approval process in order to derail the project proves just how broken Part 3A is.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said:
"There is a large degree of confusion as to just what the Minister has done on Coogee Bay Hotel. He has not refused it. In fact the developer is being given another go to get its plans through.
"What does it take to get an over development refused by this government?
"The intervention of the government architect is a step that is not contained within Part 3A. It was forced on the assessment process by the power of the community in this one case. It has not occurred in any other Part 3A development in NSW.
"The fact that it took the government architect to derail the Part 3A approval process confirms just how broken the Minister's Part 3A assessment process really is.
"There are hundreds of other sites around the state going through the Part 3A process without the benefit of the government architect. Many of them will be given approvals by the minister that, just as in Coogee, will be excessive in terms of height, bulk and scale.
"All the government architect has done is say that the development should accord with the surrounding bulk and scale of the development. That is, it should comply with the basic requirements found in the local planning instruments.
"There would have been no need for the intervention of the government architect if the development had not come under Part 3A because then it would have had to comply with the local planning laws from the start.
"For the Minister to suggest that this outcome is a vote of confidence in Part 3A shows an embarrassing lack of understanding on his part.
Sue Doran, Green candidate for Coogee said, " It is due to the talent and diligence of the Coogee community that we have come this far.
"The proposal for the Coogee Bay Hotel has not been struck out or refused. We are left with a Minister willing to decide a significantly reduced proposal for the Coogee Bay Hotel, as long as it will still cost $100 million to build. The consequences of this remain to be seen, but are likely adverse.
"This matter will probably fall under the jurisdiction of a new state Liberal government. If so it will be the first test of that government’s purported commitment to reform of Part 3A," Ms Doran said.
The run up to the state election will also be a test of Bruce Noteley-Smith’s commitment to the protection of the heritage values of lower Coogee Bay Road.
CONTACT: Sue Doran Greens candidate for Coogee
coogee@nsw.greens.org.au
http://www.facebook.com/coogeegreens
Twitter @coogeesue