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Edition 432
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13 November 2017
Petitions call for improved safety around Umina oval A petition with 400 signatures has been presented to Central Coast Council and a further 740 signatures calling for improved safety at Umina oval and surrounds. The playground area and car parks at the end of Sydney Ave and Melbourne Ave are not safe places to be at night, according to petition organiser Ms Gabby Greyem. Ms Greyem, who operates Jasmine Greens Kiosk which is located in the precinct, said she presented a similar 400-signature petition to Central Coast Council in May 2016. Ms Greyem has also documented “crime and vandalism” she has experienced since taking the lease to operate the precinct kiosk in June 2014 and the list included over 170 incidents. “The ongoing break-ins of houses, local businesses and vandalism of park facilities is not acceptable and must be stopped,” Ms Greyem said. “The violent fights, abuse of alcohol and illicit substances by minors, leading to the hospitalisation of young people after serious fights, is alarming and a damning reflection of the lack of activities for teenagers on the Peninsula and the lack of Police resources to curb this dangerous behaviour,” she said. “We want to see the Peninsula Recreation Precinct become a safe and crime-free zone as soon as possible. “We appeal to Central Coast Council to apply for $1 million in Federal Safer Communities Funding.” She said the money should be used for flood lighting, CCTV cameras, random security monitoring and to refit the old football club building as a youth centre. Ms Greyem said solar-powered
flood lights lit every night of the year would deter youth crime and violence. CCTV cameras, together with random visits by a security contractor, could be used to monitor activity and catch vandals and perpetrators of crime and violence. She said the abandoned football club on Umina Oval could become a youth centre and venue for teenagers to socialise and connect with community services in a fun and inviting way, especially on weekends and in school holidays. Other initiatives could also be explored “to provide real lasting solutions to youth antisocial behaviour in Umina”. “We appeal to the NSW Government to: increase funding and resources for Woy Woy police; install a 24-hour police station in Umina CBD; and provide additional police patrols to the Peninsula and Umina,” Ms Greyem said. “Sadly to date the police have advocated for a dark Peninsula Recreation Precinct,” she said. “The community and I believe this has been the case for too long and it’s not working. “We believe it’s time for lights at the skate park and in the precinct to be on every night, to make the park safe for everyone to use at night. “The precinct is a site for regular night time violence, youth drug and alcohol abuse, fight clubs, car-burn-outs and bashings,” Ms Greyem said. “Just this year, two young men have been seriously bashed in the precinct, both hospitalised in intensive care. “I have witnessed on multiple occasions, hundreds of young people coming to the park, the car park at the end of Sydney Ave, and the beach at night to hang out. Continued P4
An artist's impression of the new club building - (inset) The public meeting to discuss the planning process for the redevelopment of Sporties
Sporties redevelopment submission deadline extended The closing date for submissions on the Woy Woy Sporties redevelopment plans has been extended to December 10, Central Coast Council has announced. “The application for the redevelopment of Sporties at Woy Woy was renotified following preliminary consultation with Water NSW,’ according to a statement issued by the Council “In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations, submissions will be received up until December 11.” The application to build seniors housing on the corner of Brickwharf Rd and North Burge Rd, Woy Woy, saw around 80 residents attend a public meeting at the Woy Woy Sea Scouts Hall on Saturday, November 4. The plans would see the current Sporties Bowling Club demolished and replaced with a three-building, four-storey complex including seniors’ housing, retail outlets, a new club and basement parking, built over three allotments. Mr Ross Cochrane, from the recently-formed Save Woy Woy Waterfront group, said the meeting was attended by residents, club members, bowling club members and fishing club members.
The site owner and developer Mr Tony Altavilla also attended and addressed the meeting. “We collected 55 signatures from people who wanted more information about the features of the proposed development that they could object to and we intend to give personal assistance to those people who want to write an objection to Central Coast Council,” Mr Cochrane said. “At the meeting, we reemphasised that we are not antidevelopment.” He said the ground was opposed only to a four-storey development on a site that would result in the loss of a community facility and the loss of the bowling greens. “Residents who have concerns regarding the application can make a submission which will be considered and addressed as part of the assessment process,” according to a statement issued by Central Coast Council chief Mr Brian Bell. According to the Council, the land is zoned both R2 Low Density Residential and RE2 Private Recreation under Gosford Local Environmental Plan 2014. One of the sites has a height limit of 8.5m and a maximum floor space ratio of 0.5:1. The remaining two properties have no maximum height or
floor space ratio under Gosford Local Environmental Plan 2014, according to the statement. Central Coast Council confirmed the sites were flood-affected. “Flooding will be considered further as part of the assessment process,” the statement said. Local residents have questioned the ownership of a triangular area of the existing bowling greens that is shown on maps, including plans from a 2014 development proposal, as public reserve. However, the council claimed: “The three parcels are all owned by a private company, none of the properties are owned by Council or are Crown Land.” The council did not explain why the land appeared in the 2014 site plans as public reserve. “Everything is commercial-inconfidence but, on the original DA from 2014, it was shown as council land which is why the proposed retail boatshed style restaurants were drawn on an angle,” Mr Cochrane said. “The land has come to be privately owned since then and we would like to know how that occurred,” he said. SOURCE: Interview, 9 Nov 2017 Ross Cochrane, Save Woy Woy Waterfront Reporter: Jackie Pearson
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