RESIDENTS of Nords Wharf and Murrays Beach communities are poised to voice their opposition to a ten-storey building at Rafferty's Resort.
The massive increase in height limits proposed for the Cams Wharf waterfront site would allow for major hospitality and property group Iris Capital to build a high-rise, five-star hotel.
But the net of residents and interest groups against the idea is growing, opponents say, following a meeting at Nords Wharf today (Monday, June 10).
Community concerns
Peter Black, representing the 200 owners at Raffertys, said community concerns went well beyond Raffertys.
"There is a widespread anxiety regarding the way the proposals have been handled ..." Mr Black said.
"It is abundantly clear that the community have a vital interest in wanting assurance that whatever development takes place is appropriate and meets expectations based on strategic plans that establish the credentials for the precincts.
"Issues around traffic, amenity, overdevelopment, economic and social impact and the like shouldn't be brushed aside and glossed over through a spot rezoning process that responds to a particular demand from a single property owner."
Higher heights
The proposal, which will come before Lake Macquarie City Council on Tuesday, June 11, is to rezone and develop lots within Raffertys would see height limits raised by 329 per cent, from 8.5 metres to 36.5 metres, on part of the site.
A report to the council's development application committee says the height limit on other parts of the resort land would almost double from 8.5 to 16 metres to "increase residential yield" by about 20 dwellings.
The proposal to change the height limits attracted 161 submissions when it went on public exhibition last year, 158 of them objections.
Mr Black said the Raffertys Resort Community Association had voted for redevelopment and modernisation at Raffertys and more tourism product in the Lake Macquarie community.
Discussion invited
Members were keen to discuss options with the council and Iris "to ensure change and growth is based on common ground, a shared vision and collaboration".
"We have repeatedly asked Iris to genuinely engage with us, but they refuse genuine dialogue," Mr Black said.
"They most often don't attend Community Association meetings and when they do attend, they provide no update, they won't take questions or be open for discussion."
Lake Macquarie City Council has recommended approving a massive increase in height limits on the Cams Wharf waterfront to allow for a high-rise hotel.
A report to the council's development application committee meeting next week recommends raising height limits at Raffertys Resort by 329 per cent, from 8.5 metres to 36.5 metres, on part of the site.
Many of the submissions opposed the proposed development's visual and environmental impacts on the lake waterfront, increased noise, parking and traffic.
Reported impacts
The council report says the multi-storey hotel will have moderate and high visual impacts within 750 metres of the site but will generate about 50 tourism jobs and help fill a gap in "large, branded four-star or higher hotel and executive apartment properties" in Lake Macquarie.
"There are limited opportunities for redevelopment of tourism-zoned sites in the city, particularly in high-amenity lakefront locations," the report says.
Council planning staff have also recommended approval for a separate Iris development application to demolish the existing Raffertys function centre and build a new pub, pool, car park and temporary function centre on the Cams Wharf site.
Iris has not yet lodged a development application for the hotel and apartments but has published a concept image showing an eight-level hotel rising above what appears to be a multi-level parking garage.
Tourism hopes
The council report says Raffertys is in a part of Lake Macquarie identified in planning strategies as the "prime location for the city's tourism hub".
It is estimated the redevelopment would increase visitor numbers to Raffertys by 76 per cent.
Transport for NSW objected initially to the proposal due to a "history of high-severity crashes" at the Cams Wharf Road and Pacific Highway intersection but has withdrawn the objection after Iris expressed its intent to upgrade the intersection or hand money to the state government for the work.
The resort precinct, which includes the Iris-owned hotel and hundreds of tourism and residential cottages, operates as a community title overseen by a committee.
Iris bought the 31-year-old resort hotel and function centre in early 2021 for $4.05 million.
