Planning Proposal to amend Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 2014 • To identify a Highway Service Centre as a permissible use on part of Lot 100 DP 1139447 (9844 The Pacific Highway, Bulahdelah) • To provide for the proposed Highway Service Centre site to be subdivided from the parent lot Prepared by: MidCoast Council 2 Biripi Way (PO Box 482) Taree 2430 T: +61 (2) 7955 7777 E: [email protected] Version 4 / Date: 25 August 2021 Forster | Gloucester | Taree | Tea Gardens | Stroud | ABN: 44 961 208 161 [email protected] | www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au | midcoastcouncil | @midcoastcouncil MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 2 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Table of contents INTRODUCTION 6 LAND DESCRIPTION 6 LOCATION AND SITE 7 PART 1 - OBJECTIVES OR INTENDED OUTCOMES 11 PART 2 - EXPLANATION OF PROVISIONS 12 PART 3 - JUSTIFICATION 13 Section A – Need for the Planning Proposal 13 Section B – Relationship to Strategic Planning Framework 16 Section C – Environmental, Social and Economic Impact 21 Section D – State and Commonwealth Interests 27 PART 4 - MAPPING 28 PART 5 - COMMUNITY CONSULTATION 29 PART 6 - PROJECT TIMELINE 30 PART 7 - CONCLUSION 31 Appendix A – Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) Appendix B – Street Survey Appendix C – Consistency with Hunter Regional Plan Goals, Directions & Actions Appendix D – Consistency with State Environmental Planning Policies Appendix E – Consistency with S9.1 Ministerial Directions Appendix F – Extracts from Previous Ecological Assessments Appendix G – Contamination Assessment Appendix H – Statement of Heritage Impact MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 3 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 4 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Version Purpose of Document Author Date 1 Submission to Council GMS 16 October 2017 2 Update following Council Review and GMS 31 July 2018 revised EIA 3 Update following Council resolution on GMS 5 November 2018 31/10/2018 4 Review of Version 3 by Council (for RP 27 November 2018 Gateway) 5 For Public Exhibition DC 25 August 2021 MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 5 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Introduction The Planning Proposal has been prepared by MidCoast Council in accordance with Division 3.4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the relevant Department of Planning and Environment (Department) Guidelines, including A Guide to Preparing Local Environmental Plans and A Guide to Preparing Planning Proposals. The effect of this Planning proposal is to provide for the potential development of a Highway Service Centre to be located on land to the north east of the northern interchange of the Bulahdelah bypass (Pacific Highway). A Highway Service Centre is defined in Part 1 below. This Planning Proposal does not provide development consent for a Highway Service. Centre, but rather enables a development application to be lodge for the development of a Highway Service Centre on the subject land. The Planning Proposal seeks to amend the Great Lakes Environmental Plan (LEP) 2014 to: 1. Amend Schedule 1 (Additional Permitted Uses) of the LEP to include a Highway Service Centre as a permissible use on part of Lot 100 DP 1139447 and to provide for the subject land to be subdivided from the parent lot should a Highway Service Centre be developed. 2. Amend the Additional Permitted Uses Map of the LEP to identify that part of Lot 100 DP 1139447 that is affected by the Additional Permitted Use provision. This Planning Proposal outlines the intended effect of, and justification for, proposed amendments to the Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 2014. The proclamation of 12 May 2016 ratified the merger of the Local Government Areas of Gloucester Shire, Greater Taree and Great Lakes Council into MidCoast Council. Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 2014 still stands as a separate environmental planning instrument. Land description Title Description Lot 100 DP 1139447 (Parent Lot) Property Address 9844 The Pacific Highway, Bulahdelah Site Area 59.7 hectares Zoning – Great Lakes LEP 2014 R2 Low Density Residential RU2 Rural Landscape E2 Environmental Conservation Site Ownership Lindfield Property Nominee Pty Limited & NGP Investments (No 2) Pty Limited MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 6 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Location and Site The Proposal (subject site) is located to the northwest of the northern Bulahdelah Pacific Highway Interchange. It occupies approximately 2.6 hectares of the parent lot (Lot 100 DP 1139447). The town of Bulahdelah is located to the southwest. The Site is mainly located on land zoned Rural Landscape RU2, and partly located on land rezoned residential as an extension of the Bulahdelah urban area, but as yet undeveloped. It does not adjoin any developed land, other than the Golf Club fairways to the north and Recovery Road/Pacific Highway road reserves to the west. Bulahdelah had a population of 1,111 residents in 2016 (ABS census). Its main industries are aged care, retail, accommodation, rural industries and transport. Bulahdelah is relatively self- contained with a diverse range of basic shops and services, including a K12 school and community health centre. Bulahdelah is an entry point to the Myall Lakes National Park, and the Lakes Way to Forster. The Pacific Highway passed through the town until 2013 when a bypass was opened. The bypass significantly improved the amenity of the town. Prior to the bypass, the town centre of Bulahdelah had developed a high economic dependence on providing a range of goods and services to highway travellers. Following the opening of the bypass, business trade decreased dramatically. Trade has slowly been recovering as a result of the town capitalising on its rural ambience which provides a quiet break from the highway. Recently, a caravan/RV/cabin based holiday park has opened adjacent to the town centre, which has further supported its recovery. The Site is adjacent to the Pacific Highway and the Bulahdelah Golf Club. It has access from Recovery Road, which in turn has direct access to the Interchange roundabout, which is in an elevated location above the Pacific Highway because the Highway is in-cut. The Site does not have direct vehicular access from the Pacific Highway. The Interchange caters for vehicles travelling to and from the north and south on the Pacific Highway, i.e., it is a full Interchange. The Interchange to the south of Bulahdelah is not a full Interchange, and only provides Pacific Highway access to and from the south. The Site is generally cleared with some scattered native vegetation. It is not used for agriculture. It is not highly visible, with the exception of Pacific Highway traffic travelling southbound, which has a partial view of the Site near the Interchange. The topography impedes the visibility of the site from the Pacific Highway generally, largely because the Highway is in a cutting south of the southbound exit ramp entry. MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 7 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Figure 1 - Photographs of the Site The Site is located at the north-eastern periphery of the Bulahdelah Mountain Heritage Conservation Area. The site is set down generally below the rest of the Conservation Area and is likely only included in the Conservation Area because it is part of a larger parcel of land that extends to the south towards the Conservation Area “core”. MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 8 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Bulahdelah Figure 2 – Location of Site (Regional) [Source: LPMA SIX Maps] Figure 3 – Site Locality Plan (Satellite) [Source: LPMA SIX Maps] MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 9 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 The site is mainly zoned Rural Landscape RU2, and to a lesser extent Residential R2. It is located at the eastern periphery of the as yet undeveloped residential land. The adjoining land to the south and east is the Bulahdelah State Forest. To the west is Recovery Road and the Pacific Highway. Service Centre Location Subject Site Figure 4 – Site Locality Plan (Zoning) [Source: MCC Exponare] MidCoast Council Planning Proposal Page 10 of 57 Great Lakes LEP 2014 – Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Proposal August 2021 Part 1 - Objectives or intended outcomes (s.3.33(2)(a) A statement of the objectives or intended outcomes of the proposed instrument) The objectives of the Planning Proposal are to: 1. Provide for a Highway Service Centre on the subject land as a permissible land use with consent. It is not a permissible use in either the Rural Landscape RU2 or Low Density Residential R2 zones that apply to the Site. 2. Provide for the subject land to be subdivided from the parent lot should a Highway Service Centre be developed. The intention is to amend Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 2014 so that: • Schedule 1 (Additional Permitted Uses) of the LEP includes a Highway Service Centre as a permissible use on part of Lot 100 DP 1139447 (the subject land). • The above amendment to Schedule 1 (Additional Permitted Uses) of the LEP includes an ability to subdivide the subject land from its parent lot following development of a Highway Service Centre. • The Additional Permitted Uses Map of the LEP identifies that part of Lot 100 DP 1139447 affected by the Additional Permitted Use provision. A highway service centre is defined in Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 2014 as follows: “highway service centre means a building or place used to provide refreshments and vehicle services to highway users.