RAFFERTYS Resort residents claim developer Iris Capital is "riding roughshod" over their quiet lakeside retreat with a proposal to turn the family getaway into a tourist destination.
With 25 years on the property between them, residents Peter Johnston, Ralph Chicktong and Ken Lees feel the goalposts continue to shift on Iris' plans for an eight-storey five star hotel, new tavern and function centre and three, four-storey apartment buildings.
"It'll change, and they want it to change, especially the nature of people who come here," Mr Chicktong said.
"This is a family joint and it's hard to believe it will be that in the future, but there are 190 owners here who should have a say on what it's going to become."
The NSW Planning Department recently gave gateway approval to a 329 per cent height limit increase on existing controls on the hotel lot from 8.5m to 36.5m and another from 8.5m to 16m for the apartments.
Built in 1993, the site is already zoned to allow tourism and the height increase for the hotel is expected to grow visitor numbers by 76 per cent.
There are about 190 owners who live on-site, and Mr Chicktong, Mr Lees and Mr Johnston argue the proposal fails to address the negative impacts or benefits of the development for residents.
"It's all been reactionary," Mr Chicktong said.
"They haven't sat down and said to us, 'this is what we propose to do and here are the ramifications'.
"To my mind, being a community, they're part of it, they should act like part of it and they should come up with some impact statement about what it means for the rest of us."
He said that statement should address access, potential damage to property during the development, security, parking and noise.
Raffertys residents have been invited to a meeting on Tuesday with representatives of Iris Capital, Barr Planning and architecture firm EJE to ask questions about the master plan for the site.
Mr Johnston said he feels Lake Macquarie City Council is driven by tourism, and while he understands that, it shouldn't come at the expense of the people who have enjoyed the serenity of Raffertys for years.
"The hotel, the rebuild, would be substantially different to the architectural integrity of Raffertys," he said.
"We want to ask questions, but also put them on notice and let them know the way they've gone about this has been unacceptable."
Iris Capital development manager Warwick Bowyer maintains it has consulted key stakeholders throughout the process and continues to do so.
"Iris is delighted that Lake Macquarie council has elected to place the Raffertys Planning Proposal on public exhibition following earlier receipt of the NSW Government's gateway determination," he said.
"Any future development application will be subject to the adoption of the Raffertys Planning Proposal."
He said the planning proposal is "generally consistent" with Iris Capital's aspirations for the site, bringing with it an increase in short-term construction jobs, 51 full-time hospitality jobs and a higher tourism spend at surrounding local businesses.
It would also create a place for groups to meet and socialise, reinvigorate the site with an "exciting new sense of place", attract international investment and increase housing diversity potentially bringing new residents to Lake Macquarie, he said.
When asked by the Newcastle Herald what his response is to residents who feel the development isn't in-line with the current feel of Raffertys, is too large and would block their water view, Mr Bowyer pointed out the site is zoned for tourism with an "additional local provision" clause and said the proposal remains compatible with those objectives.
Mr Chicktong said residents don't have an issue with change, but they feel they've been kept in the dark over a development that will change the culture and demographic of the resort.
"Once you open the door to high-rise buildings, multiple storeys on the waterfront, is that the picture that's going to be painted all around the lake for the future?," he said.
"I mean, it sets the precedent and goes on from there."
A Lake Macquarie council spokeswoman said councillors are expected to consider a report on the proposal early 2024.
"The planning proposal is to amend the maximum building height controls under the Lake Maquarie Local Environmental Plan," she said.
"There are some development applications under assessment on the site, including redevelopment of the tavern.
"These are considered under a separate development assessment process, which is considering particular development outcomes for the site."
She said council staff would not be going to the meeting next week, as it is separate from the planning proposal exhibition the council is currently running which only relates to the proposed increase in building height controls.
Public exhibition on the height limit increases closes November 17, to view the proposal visit shape.lakemac.com.au/raffertys.
