The development application for a proposed $6.8 million apartment block on the site of an old service station in Bilgola Plateau has been rejected after a unanimous decision by the Northern Beaches Planning Panel.
After much backlash from the community, the development application (DA2020/1351) for a proposed apartment block from development and construction company Dream Build in Bilgola Plateau was refused to the Northern Beaches Planning Panel. Throughout the proposal’s lodging, over 50 submissions of opposition from the public were sent to the Northern Beaches Council voicing their concern over the project.
The apartment block, which would have cost $6.8 million to construct, would have led to the bulldozing of a disused vehicle service centre as well as a historical petrol station before replacing it with a three-storey building complete with eight apartments and two shops on the ground floor.
One of the primary complaints against the proposal was that its construction would cause both traffic and noise. Neighbours also complained that the apartment block’s tall building would block the views. The site of the development application would have led to the destruction of the Bilgola Plateau Service Centre at Plateau Rd, Bilgola Plateau.
“The proposed building is an unsuitable brick monolith for Bilgola Plateau. The size is far too large for a small suburban area and does not fit in with the local atmosphere,” wrote Penelope Jackson, a local resident.
Another local, Anne Rika, wrote “The height being 32% over councils own regulations leaves future building proposals open to widespread abuse of acceptable height.”
This was problematic as the development application failed to respect local height and density guidelines — with the Dream Build proposal lodging plans for a building with a height of 11.2 metres despite the local height limit being only 8.5 metres.
Even though the site remains in disuse and disrepair, Council turned down the proposal for not complying with local area’s guidelines and planning rules. The developers have filed an appeal.
