Meeting with Lake Macquarie City Council (Mayor)

A meeting was held with LMCC and Beaches Action Group.

Present were: The mayor of Lake Macquarie, Adam Schults, together with head representatives of the LMCC Planning Dept – and admins Burt and Lindsay from the BAG.

Q1. The first question posed was if the council could “enlighten” the community with any information about the ongoing shop saga.

A1. Council had no input re the building of a shop as they had no jurisdiction over the DCP or obligation to make sure a shop was even built. It is completely at the discretion of Rosecorp to do anything. * Discussions led back to what we have previously relayed to the community, “it is a State Significant Development” which was drawn up between the state government of the day and Rosecorp. Council kept referring back to not being in favour of the development at the time and that it is not obliged to make decisions on the works through to completion so their input is not needed.

Q2. We asked about shade for the playground equipment. Council has a parks and playground strategy that it uses as a guide in designing and building such community areas: when the D.A. for the village green and playground were submitted were they not passed taking these guidelines into consideration?

A2. Shade for the play area was not a consideration in the LMCC parks and play strategy as No D.A. from council was required for any of the construction and as per the SSD again, “councils need for any decision on works was not needed”.

Q3. Are amenities going to be made available for the public who use the playground?

A3.There were no amenities noted in the DCP so council cannot make the developer supply any extra toilets. (It is solely at the developers discretion).

Q4. On the detail plans (of the coastal walk) made available by Rosecorp it shows responsibility for that section of the walk starts at the southern and finishes at the northern boundaries of Stage3B. When can it be expected of council to build the section down to the surf club?

A4. It is not the responsibility of council to build that section of the walkway – that is the responsibility of Rosecorp! (BAG were shown a council plan of the southern end of the coastal walkway).

It was stated by the head council planner that Rosecorp have to finish ALL their work before any land registration of Stage 3 is forthwith. Rosecorp have also advised the BAG that no intentions of (or if), anything will be or not be done in regards to them doing a shop on the lot now indicated as “suitable for retail”.

All in all it was a good meeting with the new mayor and further meeting are anticipated.

We also intend on asking Rosecorp if they will be putting in any shade for the playground.

The BAG, after the meeting with Council wrote to Rose Group

It would also appear that Council has no idea of what is going on with developers in their Shire!