Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills, Nsw, 2445, NSW

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
I strongly object to this development for the following reasons:
• It is environmentally destructive, as the proposed development is in a swamp that regularly floods
• The environmental assessment is totally inadequate with only six hours spent on the ground and no time spent in the area of Stage one
• The traffic study is based on outdated data
• The existing road infrastructure cannot cope with the present level of traffic and will be totally overwhelmed by future developments already in the pipeline
• The proposed exit is adjacent to the already congested school bus drop off area
• The Bonny Hills sewerage treatment plant is already at full capacity and regularly discharges into Duchess Creek and the ocean creating a health hazard leading to the closure of Rainbow Beach
• The electricity sub station has reached maximum capacity leading to frequent outages in the Bonny View area
• The proposed development is inconsistent with the rural residential nature of the local area and will resulting in a significant deterioration of the local amenity

Has the serious lack of doctors in the area been taken in to account? All the medical centres books are closed to new patients. The existing developments of Rainbow Beach Estate an Gem will compound the problem further. PMQ hospital is already stretched and cannot cope with hundreds more attending emergency for general ailments because they can’t find a doctor.

There are already two very large "Seniors Living" Estates in the area - one about to be expanded, while the other is currently being built. In addition, there is an Aged Care facility recently approved for development. All are located on Ocean Drive, as is this proposed development. This proposal, if approved, would be the fourth such 'ageing-in-place' development in the area. Is there a demonstrated need for yet another seniors living housing project for Lake Cathie/Bonny Hills?

The local medical centre has closed its books and is not even taking names for a waiting list, so stretched are the resources. It is well known that older people require more medical services, so where are the residents of this new Estate expected to go for assistance?

This development does not form part of the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's Development Control Plan 2013; and has only been flagged as a "Preliminary Investigation Area - Stage 1" under Council's Urban Growth Management Strategy 2017-2036, so it is extremely premature to be approving a rezoning of this area at this stage. A lot more research and work has to be done, such as determining the potential for flooding, bushfires, traffic impacts and transport accessibility, as well as the delivery of health and other infrastructure for existing residents, before this proposal could even be considered.

I agree with the comments already posted and would like to add one from another perspective. This development is described as self care. “Self care” is generally targeted at an over 55 demographic who look after themselves. That means that there is the potential for 482 residents to progressively require “aged accomodation and medical care”. When you add this number to the already established (and currently approved) “over 55” residential accomodations, it would be interesting to know how many people will be requiring ongoing care into the future. The current infrastructure, both in the health and transport / roads systems, are generally considered to be under resourced and lacking in this area. It would seem sensible to address these issues “prior” to adding to the existing problems rather than needing to retrospectively fix them.

Julie Ireland

Could you advise what is happening to the land development that was started over 12 mths ago..& is now at a standstill. On Ocean drive,, Rainbow Beach NSW.
Rainbow Beach Shopping Village.

I read that a medical centre would be incorporated in that village.?
With all the new Seniors Living estate that may assist with additional Drs to the area..

I agree with the above comments and would like to reinforce them by saying I have photos of this area completely under water.. this is a floodplain!! With all that has happened lately with flooding who would be foolish enough to build on a floodplain? Who will be responsible when the houses are inundated? Plus Port Macquarie Hastings Council do nothing about improving infrastructure but are quite happy to rake in the extra rates and let sewerage spill into the ocean on our main beach! If this is approved it would be stupidity of the highest order!

I think...... until the council can support this boom of infrastructure and people moving here ,they should reconsider all proposed medium to high living.The sewrage treatment plant cant handle the amount of effluent at the moment and every time we get over 50mm of rain spills into vinegar creek and into the ocean,The local junior surfboard riders club has had to delay and cancel competitions because of it ...what does another 1000 toilets going to do ..
.When does common sense come into this .or is it just a money grab from council again

I grew up with my family holidaying in Lake Cathie since 1965 when nothing resided on the West side of Hastings River Drive between Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie and Chepana street had only 6 houses and one of them was ours.
Therefore, I would like to make a number of points.

One, with the amount of infrastructure occurring these last 10years particularly
how is it possible to permit a new development on a known flood zone area? Isn't this negligence?
Yes, these last rain periods, fires, drought and hail in the last 4-5years are and have been abnormal events which I believe will only intensify in time. In saying this, even now our local water and sewerage plant is not handling the already over crowded living let alone the Ghost road and all its problems.
To even insure your home in a flood zone area, companies are quoting over $18,000 for insurance. How does a retiree or anyone afford this annually.
I believe there has been a lot of unethical mishandling and selling of land and development even where Leslie Williams live in a known flood area all because of the dollar!

Secondly, the wild life too has plummeted which is very sad as well, koalas, kangaroos and deers were always a great site to see but we have overtaken their natural habitat for concrete.

Thirdly. I am a health professional and currently our two hospital's are under enormous threat with the lack of Nurses and Doctors with many of our medical practices closing their books mostly because of the population growth.
If development continues to increase and our health system remains under threat
not permitting people see their GP when needed or have a hospital bed when required our loved ones and our (young families, your child or parent) and retirees will not receive the care they are due.
So what has greater value? A life and the care of a loved one or the pursuit of over crowding development and the dollar causing a continued strain on our health providers.
We all have a obligation and responsibility to share in the care of humankind, to protect the environment and receive the care we are so blessed to receive but if we continue developing then we become less than what we are as human beings all for the sake of the $ sign.
Please do not go ahead with this development.

I would also like to lodge my disapproval on the above mentioned development plan. With current building ongoing in the vicinity there would need to be an enormous amount of work extended on road works, as the condition of roads in the vicinity are certainly in need of attention at the best of times let alone with more cars and caravans in the area.

The destruction of the natural beauty of this area is upsetting to many people. The local area is changing at a rapid rate and no thought is given to upgrading infrastructure or the impact is has on day to day life. Another mass produced concrete monstrosity catering for one demographic is not wanted here.

Lodging our disagreement with this proposal. Totally agree with all comments here so far. It’s simple - we do not have the infrastructure or services to support more development in this area not to mention the flood prone area.

Council - you need to think carefully about this- conduct extensive research and actually visit our area and consult with the locals? Sure it’s great to make lots of money but that not the most important thing, you are representing the people, you are our voice.

Let’s have some long term, all round vision here. More developments like this in Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills area will place additional pressure on already struggling eco systems, infrastructure, resources and those already living in the area. Don’t do it.

I completely object.
* Lack of infrastructure (roads, sewage, health services, police services - yes these are needed as we are all aware of the number of apprehended violence orders currently in place in one of the over 55’s villages as well as a serious attempted murder/suicide at another; flood mitigation).
* Destruction of habitat and climate for native animals, reptiles and insects - all we need for our land to survive.
* Lack of further aged care/home care facilities when the residents are no longer independent - including community transport.
* Lack of public transport.

I would also question if consultation with the local Aboriginal Land Council was completed. As white people we have no idea about sacred sites in our area.

I would like to object to the proposed development at Bonny View dr.  

The Port Macquarie Hastings Council vision plan for Bonny Hills in 2021 states "Council says the proposal reflects the community’s desire to protect the natural environment while preserving the village’s character".

Another quote from the vision for community planning for Bonny hills from PMHC as to what the community desires:
 "conserve our surrounding natural environment and wildlife, maintain our village character, promote safe roads, ensure clean water, and sustain our communities quality of lifestyle by ensuring well planned and environmentally sensitive development"
This development is in direct contrast to all of this and will do nothing to enhance the liveability of the area. It's not preserving anything, and is in no way sustainable or fitting in with a village atmosphere or character.

The 2017 urban growth strategy does not show this area as part of any future development. It is outside the boundary for future developments.

Urban growth studies from 2003 and 2010 both show this area as "ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT EXISTING VEGETATION". The site has not changed since these reports.

In 2019 we were told we had less than 100 days of water left in the Port Macquarie water supply due to the drought at that time. I am confident that no additional water storage has been added to the area despite a significant increase in population in that time. There is no planning for water security. We will have a drought again.

The planned total population of Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills was going to be around 10k combined. These additional developments are not part of that and open the doors to a never ending increase. I say developments, plural, because if this is approved that will be a green light to develop the other 100 hectares owned by the non local developer.
This area floods, any plans to raise the ground level will cause a dam effect for residences up stream.
We have seen koalas in that area in the past 10 years, we have also sighted feather tailed gliders that are still recovering after significant habitat loss from the 2019 fires.

No more developments until we have proper road infrastructure, sewerage infrastructure,and water infrastructure; the list could go on!
Let’s squeeze more people in to a regional area already struggling with the fundamentals of living!

Hi,
I agree with all of the above comments. What drew my husband, myself and our 4 children to this area was it’s natural beauty, the bush land, beaches, flora and fauna and happy friendly people who reside here. These plans are outrageous and threaten all of these, subsequently resulting in a situation which will be too late to change if not stopped now.
Of course money and greed are at the forefront of this proposal!
Joni Mitchell’s song “Big Yellow Taxi” comes to mind….. “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”….
What do they say … You don’t realise how precious something is until it’s gone…

PLEASE listen to these community concerns and STOP THIS PROPOSAL!!! 🙏🙏🙏😩🥵😨

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH for these large developments overtaking our quiet peacful village.
The SEAWAGE ls running into the creeks and beaches NOW.
NO MORE money hungry developers
LISTEN to the local people FOR ONCE.

I am a Bonny Hills resident and would like to voice my concerns and distress at learning of the proposed seniors housing development to be built on Bonny View Drive. I’ve been watching all the recent housing development happening between Lake Cathie and the Ghost Road and cannot believe that yet another development is even being considered. I am hoping that the council will stop and listen to the views of our community which you are meant to be supporting.
I was part of a council survey held at Rainbow beach a couple of years back where the local community was asked to give some insight into what was important to us as local residents. I remember the most important vision to come out of that survey was that we wanted to maintain our village character and to conserve our natural environment and wildlife. You asked and we told you. We recently re-elected you and therefore need to rely on you to implement our vision.
Until the recent el-nino events of the last 2 summers we consistently have had to endure water restrictions as soon as the Christmas holiday makers leave our area. On occasions these restrictions have been quite severe. I understand that there is a plan in place to alleviate this water shortage but this is still a long way from completion. In view of this I find it unbelievable that the council continues to grow the area without enough water for the already existing community. Then we have the ongoing problems with our sewerage system which is not coping with the population growth and has at times spilled into our ocean. This is unacceptable for our community to allow. This type of thing should never be happening anywhere in our country. We should know better!
Over the last few years locals have watched the devastating demolition of our beautiful local environment. I understand that there is a shortage of housing and plenty of people are in desperate need of accommodation. It can be said that we should do our bit to provide new housing in our local area. The problem is that we live in a place where we have flora and fauna to consider as well. There has already been too much destruction of wildlife corridors along Ocean Drive over the past 3 years due to the development and let’s not forget the bushfires which annihilated so much of our Koala habitat. The corner of Ocean Drive and the Ghost Road is already ear marked for an industrial area even though this area is deemed a Koala habitat in the development application paper. Our community is desperate to be heard. I truly love our beautiful kangaroos, wallabies and birdlife. Sadly we rarely see Koala here anymore. We all have an obligation and responsibility to protect the environment. I want more than just loudly painted cement koala as a tourist draw card and I’m afraid that this is where we are headed if we continue developing at the current rate.
We already have Ocean Club Resort and now Gem Life on the way. Surely this is enough over 55’s living for our local area. We keep getting told that we need more young people to cater for our growing and aging population. These young families we are encouraging to move here need infrastructure before we concentrate on saturating our local area with more people. We need footpaths and bicycle paths for the children to safely ride to school, parks and playgrounds for families and children to get outside and be active.
Please consider our local community, flora and fauna by choosing to not go ahead with this development.
Thank you

I totally object to this Application.
The reasons are as follows:
The area is a swamp and floods severely with more than 50ml of rain, so image what is was like in the recent weather bomb that affected the Mid-North Coast. The Traffic survey was taken in the middle of COVID (July 21) and the site is always busy and more dangerous at school pick up times. There will be a monumental problem with sewage overflow due to all the other developments going on at the moment.I have been told by reliable sources that the Sub Station in Lake Cathie is overloaded and Essential Energy have no plans to replace same.Medical Services are extremely overtaxed already in the area, even though there are approximately 13 Doctors at the Local Medical Centre. Council has iterated that we must maintain our " Village life and conserve our Natural Environment"??? This development flies in the face of that statement. The area is also zoned as RU1 Primary Production by Council, hav they done a backflip on this? Lastly, the Field Survey was done by one Ecologist in 6 hours, would this be enough time to make an infallible decision??

I strongly object to the development of this area.

It is currently swamp and is a habitat for critically endangered species such as Koalas, Sugar Gliders, Microbats and Frogs just to name a few. The environmental assessment that has been undertaken is not sufficient (only 6 hours by one person in 3 sites during daylight hours only). A proper environmental impact assessment needs to be undertaken. The habitat needs to stay in its current condition and not be destroyed. Please consider our wildlife.

Another factor to consider is the problems we have with current sewage infrastructure in Bonny Hills. The current system does not cope with the volume of people as it is and sewage ends up leaching into vinegar Creek and onto our beach (Rainbow Beach, Bonny Hills) and then out into the Ocean. Sewage problems occur frequently and especially when we have large rain events. I have witnessed large fish kills in Bonny Hills due to sewage events since I have lived in the area since 2004. With the current La Nina situation we have had major problems with the sewage on Rainbow Beach.

Currently lots of development and housing is occurring in the area (Lake Cathie) and therefore we need to keep some of the natural habitat and not flatten everything. People who live in the area love its natural beauty. Please don't destroy it.

Thank- you
Dr. Deb Geronimi

I oppose this application. This insanity has to stop.

• The survey plan of the development proposed houses butting up to the corner of Bonny Hill Drive and Ocean Drive. There is a creek located here which is low lying & flood prone. Any development on this property should be at least 200 metres to the south of Bonny view Drive and 200 metres west of ocean drive. This would also retain sufficient space for the potential Bonny Hills bypass road proposed at a future date and retain the street frontages as natural landscape (there is more than sufficient space to accommodate this development on the south western part of the property).

• The saturation of seniors living in the local (Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills) community is a grave concern with little thought to future shifts in demographics. What happens in years to come when there is insufficient demand from seniors to support these facilities. They will most likely be sold as low-income housing and significantly deteriorate the attractiveness of our community.

• The plans mentioned above will put a strain on our small town. We don’t have the infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, or doctors to cater to the needs of more seniors and the work force which is required to operate another seniors living facility.

Thankyou for the opportunity to comment.
It is my view that there has been insufficient research and investigation into the site to allow this rezoning to occur. Additionally the proposal creates an impost on community facilities but does not add to them. Any development of this scale should be required to add to community assets eg parkland, tennis, doctor, footpaths. Its scale is unreasonable given the ecological nature eg koala habitat.

There are a number of reasons that rezoning should not occur:
1) Environmental
The location is listed as an "preliminary investigation area" according to the PMHC Urban Growth Management Strategy, thus indicating significant research is required. According to the supporting information provided the Ecological Assessment is only a preliminary report. It concludes that "further threatened species surveys are recommended". Given that the site floods the earthworks required for such an udnertaking would significantly alter the surrounding site.
Until such time as these appropriate surveys have been undertaken it is inappropriate to rezone the area.
2) Koala and Other threatened species
The preliminary ecological report notes that there a number of koala records within the locality. It also suggests that this is not "core" habitat but further targeted surveys are required. Given the bushfires and dramatic population explosion in this area, koalas are under threat. Even if this is only marginal habitat it is inappropriate to develop it on such a large scale, as frankly the "core" habitat has gone.
3) Traffic. The traffic report suggests only a 2% population increase. Based on recent growth this is very conservative. This location would rely on traffic movements either via Ocean Drive or Houston Mitchell Dr to Port Macquarie. Both have issues. Ocean Drive is one way in both directions, and I believe unlikely to be expanded. Houston Mitchell similarly has safety issues.
4) Safety. The road network is not designed to cope with this volume. Already we see significant accidents at the corner of Houston Mitchell and Pacific Highway, and now we are seeing accidents on Ocean Drive at an increasing rate.
5) Inconsistent with the desired traits of the area: - The Bonny Hills Community Plan specifically has as its vision to " conserve the natural envronment and wildlife..., mantain village character, promote safe roads, ensure clean water and ensure environmentally sensitive development". This proposal in this location does not align with this vision.
6) Too many developments of this nature. The Bonny Hills/ Lake Cathie area already has an existing over 50's (Ocean Club), one being developed (Gemlife) and a planned nursing home. (Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie should be considered together given their proximity). These "gated communities" do not promote village character or community interaction. They also do not generate significant long term employment or community assets for the community, or a "mixed" demographic.
8) Bushfire risk - supply of water pressure ( additional use will impact all surrounding residents in a bushfire) and access points are limited
9) Lack of services in the area eg there is no taxi, there is no frequent bus route. Doctors are inaccessible and have closed books.
10) Infrastructure can not cope eg sewage treatment plant and roads, water supply in the area is constantly under pressure, footpaths, public sporting facilities for this age demographic eg tennis courts, golf courses, beach parking and overuse

If it does go ahead:

Community facilities are not extended but have additional burden placed on them from this type of development
These developments do not contribute to community assets eg parkland for public uses, public tennis courts, doctors etc. Normal developments allocate parkland which can be accesed by the public, whereas in this type of development. the broader community is unable to benefit from the development as all facilities such as tennis court, etc are closed to residents only, yet the residents will add extra burden to community facilities eg they will go to the beach or park, attend local sporting competitions, doctors, restaurants etc .
The Bonny Hills / Lake Cathie area has no public parkland on the western side of the Ocean Drive from the LakeCathie township to Bonny Hills. Additionally the public resources such as tennis courts etc are limited with no scope for expansion. The beach reserve is also under pressure from overuse, erosion and parking issues. Parkland was planned where Gemlife Over 50s is being built but was abandoned when the over 50s was approved instead of a residential estate. The proportion of gated communities versus the "normal" developments is out of scale in the area and community resources have suffered.
If a development of this nature and size is allowed ( following significantly more research) a percentage of the land should be redirected from housing units gated community, and instead allocated, funded by the developer and built for the broader community needs eg tennis courts, parkland, environmental refuge, restaurants, doctor, etc.

Thankyou

Thank you for the opportunity for us locals to voice our concerns.
I deeply object to the current proposal, and agree with all comments made by locals so far.
My biggest concerns are:
- Fauna: This area is home to a number of native species including koalas, kangaroos, a variety of species of frogs, native birds and wallabies to name a few. With all the other development already happening in our area, what will happen to these animals, some of which are endangered? The ecological assessment that has been carried out was during daylight hours, for 6 hours. This cannot give an adequate assessment of the wildlife in the area. A huge number of our native fauna are nocturnal.
- Traffic: Traffic is already a concern here. There simply isn’t the infrastructure to support such an influx of people. As the development proposed is for an aged care facility, we must consider that there is no community transport, no footpaths, no where to safely cross the road. If the development were to go ahead, something must be done about this, for the safety of the residents.
- Chosen location: The proposed area is a known swamp area and floods easily and regularly. It is simply not an appropriate place to build. In addition, this area is prone to bush fires and in the last major bush fires in 2019, it was evident that there was not sufficient water pressure for the existing houses in the area. Surely, an area prone to both flooding and bush fire is not an appropriate or safe place to build a large development for seniors.
- Sewerage overflow: This is already an issue and as there are already several new developments underway in the area, I cannot see how the sewerage system here would cope.
- Medical services: I have lived in this area for a number of years how and have been unable to get onto the books with any doctor. I have a 6 month old baby and most places will not even put me on the waiting list. The medical system here will not be able to cope with another influx of people from this new development.
- Lack of need: There are already two very large Senior Living estates in the area, with another one being built just a couple of hundred metres up the road. Is there really a need for another in our area?
- Community: This development does not align with the rural residential nature of our area and will result in significant destruction of our local community and amenity.

I agree and support all the previous comments and can only add the fact that It all amounts to the use of a bit of common sense. You cannot keep increasing the population if there is insufficient infrastructure to support them. Ie - Roads, Medical Services, Water Supply, Power Supply, Sewerage, etc, etc. and an involved, responsible Council would help also.

Thank you the opportunity to comment.

I strongly object to this development. My partner has lived here for 40 plus years in this estate. The Bonny Hills - Lake Cathie area is to be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Just this evening we spotted an echidna crossing the road at the site of this development. We frequently have koalas, kangaroos and other native animals visit our property which is less than 600 metres from the proposed development. This proves that the environmental studies are far from accurate.

As above, the local infrastructure as it stands is not capable of the increase of population this development will attract. (Power grid, sewerage plant, storm water drainage, roads, public transport, and the list goes on).

Please put the environment before money and greed.

Thank you.

• The survey plan of the development proposed houses butting up to the corner of Bonny Hill Drive and Ocean Drive. There is a creek located here which is low lying & flood prone. Any development on this property should be at least 200 metres to the south of Bonny view Drive and 200 metres west of ocean drive. This would also retain sufficient space for the potential Bonny Hills bypass road proposed at a future date and retain the street frontages as natural landscape (there is more than sufficient space to accommodate this development on the south western part of the property).

• The saturation of seniors living in the local (Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills) community is a grave concern with little thought to future shifts in demographics. What happens in years to come when there is insufficient demand from seniors to support these facilities. They will most likely be sold as low-income housing and significantly deteriorate the attractiveness of our community.

• The plans mentioned above will put a strain on our small town. We don’t have the infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, or doctors to cater to the needs of more seniors and the work force which is required to operate another seniors living facility.

I strongly object to the proposed development plan. Several others have mentioned the main concerns, however I will reiterate:

1. This plan would see further displacement and destruction of habitat for critically endangered species such as Koalas and Sugar Gliders.

2. As mentioned by others the environmental assessment has not been conducted in a sufficient manner. A lot of the native fauna are nocturnal and therefore a review during daylight hours only seems to be a gaslight attempt at an actual review.

3. Current infrastructure is not sufficient to meet the demands of the demographic and number of people which is proposed to be introduced to the area.

4. The area in question is low lying and prone to flooding during precipitation. The changes proposed would then need to be modified to suit the new buildings and accommodation. This will in turn create more issues for those who live in the area - dealing with additional water runoff.

5. The area has several of these types of facilities already available, building another is excessive and does not suit the area.

I do not agree with this or any more developments in the Lake Cathie or Bonny Hills area due to the fact that the sewage treatment plant already does not cope with medium to heavy rain conditions, which we regularly have. The sewage overflows nearly every time there is substantial rain as well as storm water rushing into the ocean at Rainbow beach, rendering it unsafe to swim or surf on a regular basis.
People move here for the life style, only to find that the beach is unsafe to enjoy.
It's time to stop and slow down all this and "catch up" with all the work that needs doing in our villages that has been on the back burner for far too long!
This area is also home to the now endangered Koala as well as the endangered Green and Gold Bell Frog.
Also, too much development with little thought to the lack of infrastructure and existing residents that live here for the village type life style that is being threatened and quickly being lost.
I would also like to know if all of the comments on this site will be listened to at council?

I would like to object to this rezoning, as above, due to the lack of existing, supporting infrastructure. Sewerage being the main one which overflows into our beaches when it rains heavily.

We have a dangerous intersection on the corner of Houston Mitchell Drive and the highway, which will potentially be used by more elderly people to access Port Macquarie Hospital.

While there are a plethora of other reasons, these are the ones I would like to address.

A public high school and college courses would be of great benefit and better use of this location.

Very good points of infrastructure concerns have already been commented here and the use of another self care housing unit would over shadow the needs of other generations.

With so many young families continuing to flood the Lake Cathie, Bonny Hills and North Haven areas, support is needed for all generations.
There is a high percentage of low income workers and children requiring higher levels of disability care and the education greatly lacks support for this large local community group. The need to support them has never been higher and is only to continue to rise.

These families do not have the income to send their children to private or catholic schools in Port Macquarie or can easily send them on a long commute to the already overwhelmed public high school system without creating anxious children and limiting their carers to take on alternate work themselves.

These families urgently require options for their right to an education in close proximity to their community and the planning and building of a public high school and higher education options for adults is of critical importance to be planned for now for use in the very near future.

I oppose this development and summarize reasons as follows;
* The road networks are already under extreme strain and further development adds to this issue. There are no paths or pedestrian access areas in the location
* Queens Lake Reserve and the surrounding wetlands are home to various flora and fauna which are under threat due to urbanisation and development. Associated pollutions also impact the nearby environment.
* The area of the proposed development are critical Koala habitat and after recent fires and development in the area the food sources for the Koala are rapidly diminishing
* There are limited health services in the immediate area and the Mid North Coast health District resources are under strain
* There is no local Police Station and Policing numbers are below strength in the Mid North Police District.
* Other infrastructure such as water, sewerage and waste will be adversely impacted in combination with the already abundant development between this location and Lake Cathie

OBJECTIONS TO PROPOSED SENIORS SERVICED SELF-CARE HOUSING AT BONNY VIEW DRIVE BONNY HILLS
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COMMENT IS AN AMENDMENT OF A PREVIOUS COMMENT
KEY ISSUES
1. Traffic Congestion and Risks at the Intersection of Bonny View Drive and Ocean Drive
2. Key Infrastructure Issues
3. Impact on Fauna
TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT INTERSECTION OF BONNY VIEW DRIVE AND OCEAN DRIVE
Misleading Traffic Impact Assessment
The Traffic Impact Assessment is fundamentally flawed because it is based on observations of the nearby Ocean Club Resort, which states on its website that it is designed for “resort style living for active over 50’s”, and that it has “mostly younger active residents”. Thus, rather than having residents who are home-based, many residents in the Resort have some form of employment, and the majority of residents regularly travel away from home, either in their own recreation vehicles (the Resort provides parking spaces for RV’s) or by regularly taking domestic or overseas packaged holidays.
The Resort has clearly not been designed to be a Seniors Living Residential Development which caters for the requirements of a much older age group of residents, many of whom would be “house-bound” due to medical conditions, and thus who would rely on health care and service providers to visit them on a daily basis.
Therefore, traffic flows into the proposed development would be much higher than what has been assumed in the Proposal, because the vast majority of residents in a seniors development would be either “home centric” and reliant on external service providers to visit their units on a daily basis, or those who would take routine daily car trips for medical attention, shopping, and for local recreational excursions and activities (ie rather than taking extended holidays like residents of the Resort).
Also, as the proposed Seniors Living Residential Development is designed to cater for a much older age group than the Resort, it would be expected that all residents of the proposed Development would receive a much higher number of routine family visitors (children and grandchildren etc), especially over weekends and during school and public holidays, which would result in a considerable increase in traffic using the Bonny View Drive intersection with Ocean Drive.
Risks for existing residents who use Bonny View Drive
The Traffic Impact Assessment states that there are eighty rural-residential properties dependant on Bonny View Drive, which is the only means of ingress and egress for these residents. The segmentation of these residents is :
• people who have employment and have children under eighteen;
• people who work and have adult children living with them;
• people who work and have no children at home; and
• retirees, a few of whom have adult children living with them.
As a result, each of these properties has at least two motor vehicles, and some have three and even four vehicles. So, using an informed guess at an average of 2.3 vehicles per property, there are at least one hundred and eighty-four residents’ vehicles completely dependent on using Bonny View Drive. As some residents in the proposed Seniors Living Residential Development will not own vehicles, and assuming that a small number of other residents will own two vehicles, this means that in total, there would be at least three hundred and ninety vehicles, plus additional vehicles from visitors and tradesmen, who would all rely on the Bonny View Drive and Ocean Drive intersection.
As a resident of four and a half years, I have noticed that traffic on Ocean Drive has considerably increased over that time because of:
• The Houston Mitchell upgrade – with much higher traffic coming from the South; and
• The large housing developments at Lake Cathie increasing traffic from the North.
Whilst there has been a recent reduction in traffic flows since COVID, I routinely experience delays of over four minutes during peak periods when turning South from Bonny View Drive.
An increment of over two hundred vehicles exiting Bonny View Drive would not only considerably lengthen that waiting time, but it would result in higher accidents at the intersection because of impatient drivers.
Whilst the Bushfire Threat Assessment in the Proposal essentially addresses the risk for the Seniors Living Residential Development per se, it does not consider the impact of a major bushfire on any major evacuation from the area. The existing one hundred and eighty residents who live on rural-residential properties around the area, especially those closer to the Queens Lake Nature Reserve, are exposed to the risk of bushfire because of the many trees close to, and within, their properties. The 2019 bushfires caused considerable concern for residents when we were advised to be prepared for evacuation, which actually resulted in some residents leaving the area until the fires were controlled. In view of the high tree density in the area, a major bushfire is highly possible, and indeed some properties close to the Nature Reserve have been directly affected in the past. If a mass bushfire evacuation order were to be issued, the congestion of three hundred and ninety vehicles all trying to escape into Ocean Drive from Bonny View Drive, the sole exit in the area, then it would be a life-threatening disaster, especially with fire trucks attempting to drive in to the fires via Bonny View Drive at the same time. It must be emphasised that this is a threat which is entirely possible.
In summary, the Traffic Impact Assessment is flawed. By its adoption of the easy method of using a benchmark, which is an inappropriate one anyway, rather than basing its conclusions on an in-depth evaluation based on relevant parameters, it is fundamentally erroneous.
KEY INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES
1. Water Supply Issues
2. Sewage Plan
3. Health Services
Water Supply Issues
The proposal mentions that the water supply plan is yet to be devised. However, during the 2019 bushfires, residents in the rural-residential area who were being rained on by falling ashes and burning leaves, were required to spray their hoses onto their roofs, and when they all did this, the pressure in the water pipes dropped considerably. Also, during the afternoon and evening when many residents are using water at the same time, the pressure noticeably drops.
Therefore, assuming that the Proposal’s two hundred and forty residences comprise one third of people who live alone, and two thirds who live with a partner, this means that with an increase of four hundred people using water, the existing water supply system will be seriously adversely impacted.
The Council already imposes water restrictions during drought periods, so this development would clearly need to provide for accommodating such a high additional level of water consumption.
Sewage Plan
The existing rural-residential properties to the west of Ocean Drive all rely on their own on-site sewage treatment system because the Council does not provide for R1 (rural) and R2 (rural-residential) properties to connect to the Council sewerage system.
It is noted that this Proposal is fundamentally predicated on the assumption of a rezoning of the property (currently zoned as R1 rural) to enable connection to the Council sewerage system. Further, it acknowledges that if the Proposal does go ahead, then the developer would need to fund an expansion of the existing Lake Cathie/Bonny Hills sewerage treatment plant to cater for the large increase in resident numbers.
However, despite the critical importance of sewage management, the Proposal does not provide any details of how it would cater for such a high increase in sewage levels. Presumably, the Proposal’s plan for sewage management falls into the same category as waste removal, that is, it recognises that that a plan needs to be devised, but it will be later “provided with the DA”.
Health Services
Due to the recent increase in population resulting mainly from the Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills housing developments, all the local General Practitioners in Lake Cathie, Bonny Hills and Laurieton have closed their books, and are not in a position to cater for any new patients. Already, residents have difficulty in booking an appointment with their GP, and the local doctors advise that it is difficult to even attract interns to the region. Furthermore, the lack of medical specialists across the whole Port Macquarie region is already inadequate and it suffers from the same problem of being unable to attract specialists to regional areas. This obviously begs the question of the impact on the already stressed medical facilities, of an increase of four hundred aged people at Bonny Hills, most of whom will have existing medical conditions and will need ongoing specialist treatment.
IMPACT ON FAUNA
The land affected by this proposal is currently used by kangaroos, wallabies and koalas, and it also supports birdlife and frogs. The clearing of this land will obviously have a major adverse impact on fauna for the whole area surrounding Bonny View Drive all the way through to Queens Lake Nature Reserve. However, if the land remains zoned R1 then it would help to maintain levels of endangered fauna.
OVERALL SUMMARY
It is clear that this Proposal has overlooked the very real constraints for such a development in view of the limitations of existing infrastructure in being able to provide major services such as water supply and sewerage. The Proposal has also not considered the specific requirements of the residents of such a proposed facility, nor has it properly investigated the ability of the region to accommodate their specific health requirements. Furthermore, the Traffic Impact Assessment is based on fundamentally erroneous assumptions.
Accordingly, this proposal should not be allowed to proceed any further.
Arthur Gillen

I object to this proposed development as all the reasons that I have read above, This must NOT be approved as all the reasons that have been submitted, Council must be held responsible for this and will be.

My initial reaction to the objection to this preposed developed was that the objectors were displaying true & real Ageism by speaking out against this preposed development.
I am a social worker, specialising in Aged Care with over 20 years experience.
Now, that I have conducted my own research onto this project it’s quite the opposite.
There is a huge concern from people with local knowledge that the development location is not suitable nor safe for a Seniors Residential Living complex.
There is NOT enough infrastructure and supports in place to cope with demand.
We have an obligation to ensure our seniors live in a low risk flood free area. That they have access to doctors, allied health services & transport enabling our Seniors to live in a supported and stress free environment.
Infrastructure, services & current approved developments are placing an unforeseen strain on the area.
We can not ideally stand by watching big developments come into this area, doing their big sales pitch, knowing full well promises will be broken & our older residents will be left unsupported.
It is for this reason I submit my objection to this DA.

I would like to strongly disapprove this development. Currently the infrastructure cannot cope with the new development in Lake Cathie. Houston Mitchell drive has no safe access to Pacific Hwy the current works happening are a band aid solution. You have one road in and one road out of this area The area that is set for development is in a flood zone and also fire this will cause more issues for the homes that will be built in the area. There are no plans to relocate the wildlife you buried your head in the sand when you developed Cathie and this has caused long term issues with wildlife in the area.

I strongly object and oppose this proposed development and support all the reasons already stated by others. I have major concerns regarding the ability for our present infrastructure and services being able to cope with such a dramatic increase in population. This must NOT be approved and the council needs to make a decision based on the greater good of all for the long term.

Strongly disapprove. There already feels like there is too much development in this area. Is another development really necessary and of benefit to local residents? It will certainly change the natural and peaceful feel of Bonny View Drive.

I strongly object to this development for the following reasons:
• The current medical/healthcare infrastructure is dramatically insufficient & I believe will cause significant health risks for all current &/or new residents
• It is environmentally destructive, as the proposed development is in a swamp that regularly floods
• The traffic study is based on outdated data therefore is inadequate
• The existing road infrastructure cannot cope with the present level of traffic and will be totally overwhelmed by future developments already in the pipeline
• The proposed exit is adjacent to the already congested school bus drop off area
• The Bonny Hills sewerage treatment plant is already at full capacity and regularly discharges into Duchess Creek and the ocean creating a health hazard leading to the closure of Rainbow Beach
• The electricity sub station has reached maximum capacity leading to frequent outages in the Bonny View area
• The proposed development is inconsistent with the rural residential nature of the local area and will resulting in a significant deterioration of the local amenity

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this application
I strongly oppose this application firstly due to the lack of community consultation, but more so the total lack of infrastructure needed for this type of development
Consisting of
Lack of medical facilities
Capacity of our sewerage system is already at capacity
There is no up to date traffic study
At present there is only 1 access and egress from the Bonny view estate any future development like this would cause traffic chaos especially in an emergency such as fire or flood
The existing power substation is totally inadequate for what we have here now with blackouts common place
This estate is a haven for endangered animals such as koalas, micro bats and several rare species of frogs
This type of development will adversely effect the rural residential nature of this beautiful area and its community

While I support the need for density housing, it needs to be in the right location.
This area suffers from poor infrastructure - sewerage (and these numbers will worsen this issue), roads, telecommunications…
Also, it is a wet area, and has flooded previously. Any attempt to mitigate this will have flow on ecological impacts to the surroundings areas (take lack of water draining around the M1 in Northern NSW as example).
Koalas have been declared endangered, and in the NSW Govt Koala Strategy it recognises the importance of the Port/Hastings region for koalas. Swamp Mahogany is a primary koala food tree, and the ecological assessment itself recognises this area as koala habitat. Building out an area does not stop a koala coming in, they have their home ranges - building in their range increases their stress and exacerbated the issue of habitat loss.

Please, please stop the clearing of our habitats. I don't know what to say that would give you an insight into the carnage for our wildlife. But I have seen them pushed to the brink of extinction in this area. Koalas with no territory wandering in the streets.
What do people love about this area? Why are they moving here? It is beautiful, the trees the beaches, the whole area was a paradise. Sadly, it is disappearing, what they have moved here for is no longer a wonderful natural place but one after another wall to wall housing estates.
Please. Build up not out. Build on already cleared areas. Don't take their homes to build your own

As a registered nurse I can honestly say our hospitals at port Macquarie and wauchope are crippling g under the pressure we already have and WILL NOT cope with more patients. The wait in the emergency Department is ridiculous and unsafe. Let us look after our community well without the added pressure of increasing numbers in the an already crippling hospital system
Also our wildlife in the area are suffering as well. We now have five and six foot kangaroos being run down in Bonny hills streets due to more and more land being taken from them the lake Cathie development has pushed out services like the a GP appointment out to two months
So we have to use an already crumbing hospital ED. Don’t spoil what brings the visitors to our community and the reason why we live here. The planning committee can actually do something good here and say NO to anymore of these developments
Please

-The proposed development site is regularly under water / flooded during periods of heavy rain.
-Bonny View Drive is a semi rural area, the proposed development does not align with the existing semi rural housing and large acreage blocks in the estate.
-Ocean Drive is already inadequate and does not cope with the current level of traffic. Other infrastructure is also already at capacity, including sewerage, water supply & electricity - they simply will not cope with so many new homes.
-Medical Services, lack of available doctors in the area, the medical centre at Lake Cathie has its books closed as do most of the other medical centres at Port Macquarie and Laurieton, not to mention the services at Port Hospital, also stretched to capacity.
-Wildlife and environmental impacts, the studies and assessments that have been undertaken are hardly sufficient.
-Transport, lack of public transport in the area, no taxi services and infrequent busses to Port Macquarie are already inadequate.
-Too many developments specifically aimed at seniors already in the area eg: Gem Life, Ocean Club Resort and the newly proposed Nursing Home.

I'd like to voice my opposition to the proposed 241 housing development at Bonny Hills. Historically this is flood prone land and the local amenities & infrastructure are unable to accommodate the current population. In particular the sewerage system, which is inadequate for the existing community. The new residents would be disadvantaged by lack of medical facilities and transport options.

I strongly object to the proposed building of 241 new self care residences at Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills NSW; for the following reasons:

The area is flood prone.

Due to the existing residences in the area the sewage system does not cope and discharges sewerage into the creek and onto beaches.

This is already a high traffic area, with minimal public transport (bus) means increased traffic.

There are currently two facilities for over 50’s, retirees i.e. self-care residences (Ocean Club & Gemlife) also a planned nursing home all within very close proximity to each other.

The Port Macquarie LGA (Census 2016), has 50.4% of its population over 50, in comparison to 34.6% for NSW. This places a huge demand for medical services on an already struggling system.

As our medical services are overstretched, hospitals, specialists and many local GPs at capacity and not taking on new patients.

With the lack of appropriate and adequate infrastructure and services this proposal cannot be approved.

I'd like to voice my opposition to the planned housing developments in Bonny Hills.
I am not against growth of the Port Macquarie region, I'm against the continual development of these retirement estates without proper infrastructure and consideration for the growing population.
I work at the hospital and beds are barely available most nights on a daily basis. Do these planned developments consider the impact? We are constantly under staffed and under pressure how will increasing housing for more retirees within the area help our health care system?
I'm reading posts on social media and amongst locals/friends within the region people finding difficulty getting basic health care as is, they can't find a Doctor with books open, myself included have been erased from books to make room for others does the planned development plan to compensate when more people are in need?
The Port Macquarie council can barely keep up with the list of maintenance/repairs needed to our roads which have been backed up since the floods, will the development take into consideration the future and further destruction of roads with the increase in traffic?

Do they plan to put in place pathways not just within the development but around as well? because it won't just be an increase in road traffic but also in foot traffic decreasing the safety for locals.

The area proposed to be built on is well known flood prone area, has the developers considered where all the displaced water will be run off? and how it will environmentally effect the surrounding area? Do they plan to compensate future buyers? Or existing home owners? Or surrounding areas that maybe affected?
I've already noticed an increase in wild life in my area an area in which I grew up, these animals are loosing their habitats and having to find homes elsewhere does the planned development have an alternative?

These developments seem to be trending in the area, aimed at retirees. I fail to see how this will bring a positive impact to the area it will put more stress on the health care system, it will not bring more money to the area as pensioners are on a tight budget as it is, transportation for them is almost non existent. When there are more pensioners in the area who do you propose look after them? when health care staff are scarce as is? Let alone the health care staff being able to find barely available accommodation for themselves speaking from own experience and many colleges that have been in the same position at risk of homelessness.
Areas in and around Port Macquarie within the region are constantly being put aside on a later to do list this has been happening for more than 30 years stop developing for more to be fixed and work on what we already exists first!

I strongly object to this development. The infrastructure is inadequate to cope with the current population. The roads are dangerous. The Ghostroad intersection will still be dangerous turning right to go north. We’ve chosen not to use it even before the changes started due to too many near misses. I know we can’t stop progress but is this really needed? Where are all these people coming from? Medical facilities are grossly inadequate down this way. Let’s stop any further development until we update the current infrastructure to cope with what’s here now and the completion of Gemlife. Too much wildlife habitat has already been destroyed!

I disagree with this development. The local area has already been impacted by large scale development with clearing of native habitat. Koala's, birds, frogs, snakes, echidnas and kangaroos are being affected by the overdevelopment in the Lake Cathie/Bonny Hills area. Unfortunately the growth of infrastructure lags drastically behind these developments, lack of medical facilities, retail, and the increased traffic on both Ocean Drive and Houston Mitchell drive.
Council should not approve the building of more housing until infrastructure issues are addressed and local roads, facilities etc can maintained to a functional standard.

I object to the proposed development on the corner of Bonny View Drive and Ocean Drive. The infrastructure is not sufficient for this development with current approved developments not yet completed. The local communities are being impacted now by pressures on sewage, roads, and facilities.
In addition, this land is environmentally unsuitable not only because of flooding but also because of the importance of providing our wildlife with habitats along the coast line. We pride ourselves on our wildlife and of our koala colonies - to allow development of this land would only put more stress on the fire affected colonies locally, let alone other species that live here. Don’t let developers carve this land up - once it’s gone, it’s gone for ever.

The PMHC area needs more infrastructure prior to any more development, especially on this scale. We have a lack of services across the board at present. Most doctors are not taking on patients at the present time & with more elderly people it will only worsen that situation. There is already multiple new developments in the area, let’s see if the area copes with that influx before approving more.
Finally has there been an environmental impact study as yet ?

PMHC has not got the infrastructure to cope with this development, nor has it made plans for it. There are currently not enough doctors to service the community as it is. All medical practices have closed books with no waiting lists! You want to bring a more aged population to this already over populated aging community? Nothing against having seniors living up here, but think first, think do we have the resources to cope with what we are proposing? or is it all just a cash grab and worry about the other later, and then sweep it under the carpet like it doesnt exist?
PMHC already has a VERY LARGE aging population as it is, why are you going to add to it? I see no sense in this development and I really hope that it is declined.

I object to the proposed development on the corner of Ocean Drive and Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills. I agree with all previous objections.
In particular the inadequate sewerage system that regularly pollutes Rainbow Beach during wet weather, closing the Beach for swimming.
This development is on land that often floods.
The proposed development is at the beginning of a rural residential estate, with acerage blocks. This type of development is out of context with the village.
The roads are always in a state of disrepair, increasing traffic would be unsafe.
The local Medical facilities are already stretched to the limit.
Thank you for reading my submission

The area is being saturated with over 55’s high density living.
Whilst I understand that development is essential for our area, constructive and well thought out open development is required that enhances the local flora and fauna. This is the reason why people are moving out of the city into costal rural areas. I also acknowledge it is easier for councils to approve such developments as they do not have to maintain nearly as many services but this is at the cost of the local area. These high-density developments are putting a strain on our services such as roads, hospitals and ever worsening problems with sewage overflow. I urge you to not approve this development.

I do not support this development more thought and planning needs to be done.

There are not enough services to support the community now, the current roads, water & waste infrastructure isn’t coping now. Phone reception and internet service for the area is well below standard.

why would you build a facility that the community can’t support.

I strongly object to the proposed Seniors Living development on Bonny View Drive
- the land regularly floods, there are existing creek lines through the property & a drainage channel under Ocean Drive that always has water in it. Besides the Storm Water pond on the plans - what other measure will be taken by the developer to mitigate flooding & run off into the natural waterways on the site.
- the demand for Seniors Living is high, although access to local Doctors is limited or non existent for new patients.
- a carefully planned Seniors Development with more green space around & between the units would be a far more viable than densely packed dwellings with little of no privacy. If the site did not regularly flood, I would not object to a well planned, greened, Seniors Living development
- the Traffic Study did not take into account the proposed School/ Aged Care Facility earmarked for the large block of land on the other side of the road.
- the Traffic Study mentions the speed limit on Bonny View Drive at 50km/hr - it is currently sign posted as 70km/hr which is already too high for the number of smaller intersecting streets.
- Ocean Club & Gemlife Seniors developments to the north have a large number of houses crammed in together with very little space between the rooflines, driveways & access roads - all creating a massive heat island. This development, over time, will have the same effect.
- on the paddocks to the east of Bonny View Drive has plans for a large housing development - mostly on block sizes of 400-450sqm - most will have very small (if any) yards or areas for shade. This development over time will also add to the heat island & traffic volumes on Ocean Drive.
- the Bonny Hills STP does not cope with the existing population & regularly overflows to Rainbow Beach
- the original houses in the Bonny View Estate are still on septic. If this new development is to be connected to the Bonny Hills STP - is there any plans to connect the existing 80 dwellings to the sewer system as well?

I would like to address the proposed development of a Seniors Living precinct on the corner of Bonny View Drive and Ocean Road. There is so much wrong with this proposal. The ongoing development taking place now has already overtaken the infrastructure and services. When it rains heavily the sewerage system doesn’t cope, the beach is closed because of the pollution. Imagine all those extra toilets and taps running. The smell is awful.
The medical centre has closed its books. For the first time in 11 years, I had to park on the road today. Not one spot in the medical centre. Sick babies, children, adults, seniors clogging up the ED.
The environment. Our land is being clear felled, not one tree left in any estate. Trees can’t be replanted because there is no room for root growth. No trees to suck up the water so more swamp. No shade, no birds, no koalas. 38 years ago, when we moved to the area, there were koalas.
Please don’t let this development proceed, there is an oversupply here already.

I believe that the proposed application for senior residential living on the corner of Ocean Dr and Bonny View Dr, Bonny Hills should not be approved.
I have lived in the area for 60 years, this land is a wetland, swamp in any rain, it does flood.
It is a natural habitat for wildlife.
It is adjacent to acerage sized residential lots, not estate sized blocks and would be out of place in this context.
The current infrastructure especially the Sewage system does not cope with current population and will need to be upgraded to adjust to the already approved but not yet built, residential development. Rainbow Beach is often closed due to pollution, overflow in wet weather.
Council is regularly testing the sand dunes adjacent to the treatment plant for leakage. The increased load would be irresponsible environmentally and hazardous.
As a 73 year old, there is enough retirement/ senior living options in this area already, with 2 within 1.7 kilometres of this site, and another aged care facility approved within 2 kilometres.

This development go against the fibre of our coastal / semi rural community and council does not have the infrastructure /financial nor resources to manage to the impacts on roads, sewer at Bonnie’s beach and medical facilities. It’s plain and simple, the community does not want this and our infrastructure cannot support this proposal.

I agree with the comments above and would like to add my voice to object to the proposed development.

There are already a number of aged care / retirement living facilities in the immediate area and we do not need another one.

Our infrastructure, as outlined in comments above, could not support the additional load.

The roads are congested and medical services overwhelmed.

The wildlife on this land is diverse and, as a local, I would like to see it stay that way.

I strongly object to this development.

I wish to object to this proposal. The plan for the site is out of keeping with the current Bonny Hills community. This proposal aims to create an insular, secluded community that discriminates on occupants by age. Certainly not in keeping with the current community vibe of Bonny Hills that welcomes all ages and encourages active participation in our local community. This proposal will do nothing to address the current lack of affordable housing in the local area.
These additional homes will require damage to the natural environment by tree removal, habitat destruction of native animals, as well as damage to natural water courses as the proposed site sits on flood prone land.

Are we kidding? ANOTHER ageing population development. This area has being constantly overrun by the oldies in the area. We need to bring the general age down, more families, young adults, life to the area! There is a ridiculous amount of aged care facilities, self care apartments, retirements villages in the port Macquarie Hastings area. I promise you as someone who works in home care in lots of these self care units, they are no where near full! There is absolutely no need to build an entire new facility, taking up space, on a completely unsuitable piece of land in an area that literally can’t keep up.the traffic on the road is dangerous especially with the age of the drivers, we do not need more. You cannot get into a doctor or any type of appointment to save your life. I can’t swim at the beach SO OFTEN because it’s literally contaminated. This is our home, I want to take my kids to enjoy the place we have lived our entire lives but it’s absolutely impossible with the rate things are going. Please, please don’t destroy our perfect little Bonny Hills community. It is already happening so much in the last 5 years. Please do not ruin it for the sake of money. I guarantee the owner, councils, business’s profiting from this are already very wealthy and stable. They don’t even reside in this area so why is it that the rich people just get to make money of destroying the towns they don’t even live in. They have about 6 future projects coming. Bonny hills does not need nor does anyone want another retirement facility as is made very clear by all of the people reporting here. And the greedy men and women at the top of this project don’t NEED anymore money. This seems like a no brainer? Do not destroy our planet, our land, our home, for money!!!! There are countless reasons why, I trust that your conscious will make the right decision for the community involved that have to live with the effects of this everyday. Not the decision that benefits a developers pocket…

I moved to Bonny Hills only two years ago knowing that properly planned growth in the population was expected. What I am shocked about is the level of growth that is NOT being properly assessed, particularly given all the barely able to cope infrastructure and services needed to maintain these additional people at present. I wholeheartedly agree with the submissions from many of my neighbours who have made more specific points and observations about this latest inappropriate proposal. This plot of land is poorly located (and not zoned for) development of this nature, and I strongly object to the plans that have been presented. I trust that the authorities, when they see the potential impacts this proposal would have on the lives of the existing population, the infrastructure needed to service them, as well as the harm on our delicate natural environment, reject it outright.

There is no way this application should be allowed to proceed...

The land which the proposed development isn't just wasteland, it is land which is stated as "potential koala habitat" and dominated by koala feed trees. There are multiple records of koalas within 500m of the site but with the land being unoccupied and no-one there to spot them none have been directly linked to the site thus preventing it being classed as "core habitat". (except for the report listing one sighting and that was supposedly a mistake)

This land is a floodplain, it is the main collector for the Bonny View estate before making its course to Duchess Creek. There is already one house on our estate which is on the brink of flooding on every substantial rain event and it has been noticed that the overall ground water level on the estate has risen. A development at that point would be prone to flooding, would cause flooding to our existing properties and would also create problems with our inground septic systems which have to drain somewhere.

Regarding the traffic assessment... seems to be a bit flawed, you would imagine that a traffic assessment would be able to get the speed limit correct... speed limit on Bonny View Drive has been 70kh for the last 15 years and not 50kh as reported, if the assessor had travelled a kilometre up the road he would have seen the sign, used to be a sign at the junction but that was flattened by the council when Ocean Drive was upgraded.

There has been no real mention of the obvious expected traffic increase from the developing Rainbow Beach Estate nor the Gem Life over 50's estate which is one kilometre away.
Nor has there been mention of the Catholic school which is expected on Bonny View Drive across from the proposed development.
Leaving Bonny View Drive at present peak hour is already hard work and has gotten a lot harder in the past 5 years, trying to exit with 2 or 3 school buses at the stop and parents parked waiting with their kids at peak hour. Add another housing development and potentially a school and there's no way.

There is multiple reasons this submission should not go ahead. Firstly this is flood prone land and floods regularly. Haven’t we dealt with enough homes needing evacuation? We don’t need to add 100’s more onto that and especially the elderly.
Secondly. This is Koala habitat full of swamp mahogany. Many frogs and other animals live there. I live not far from there and have seen a threatened Eastern Chestnut Mouse.
Thirdly, we don’t have the infrastructure to support more housing. The sewer system already is overwhelmed, flooding into our beach whenever it rains. The hospital is at its capacity already and we have so many developments happening in the region that many more people are arriving.
Please don’t go ahead with this development.

Dear Council and Planning authority
I strongly oppose the development on the corner of Houston Mitchell Dr and Ocean Rd Bonny Hills.
Our area can not sustain an increase in population at this stage.
It is environmentally destructive, as the proposed development is in a swamp that regularly floods
• The environmental assessment is totally inadequate with only six hours spent on the ground and no time spent in the area of Stage one
• The traffic study is based on outdated data
• The existing road infrastructure cannot cope with the present level of traffic and will be totally overwhelmed by future developments already in the pipeline
• The proposed exit is adjacent to the already congested school bus drop off area
• The Bonny Hills sewerage treatment plant is already at full capacity and regularly discharges into Duchess Creek and the ocean creating a health hazard leading to the closure of Rainbow Beach
• The electricity sub station has reached maximum capacity leading to frequent outages in the Bonny View area
These developments are based on greed and finances only, no consideration of the impact on ecologies, environment and the local people.
No more nasty communes for the aging. They are an eyesore and a blight on society.

Wendy Dahl

I object in the strongest terms to the proposed senior living development on Bonny View Drive.

I would particularly like to call into question the legitimacy of the traffic report conducted by Streetwise Road Safety & Traffic Services Pty. Ltd.

The figures quoted in the report are taken from a single days observation which was conducted on 21 July 2021. Worth noting this was after the March 30 announcement from NSW health minister Brad Hazzard that anyone found to be outside of their home without a valid reason could be subject to an on-the-spot fine of up to $11,000.

The traffic report also states in section 3.8 with respect to traffic during construction“ The majority of staff commuting, and materials deliveries will generally be before 7:00am”, “and have minimal impact on local traffic movements.” Clearly this statement overlooks the fact that working hours on construction sites are restricted by development conditions to the hours of 7am – 6 pm Mon – Friday.

The report makes the claim in section 3.5 that Ocean Drive is to be considered a “high standard road’ under the Austroads guidelines. Ocean Drive 200 metres to the south of Bonny View Drive could not be described by anyone as high standard. – it’s a disgrace! It has NO shoulder on either side, is riddled with pot holes and is very different to the photo the report chose to use.

The reliance upon such a disingenuous report is an afront to any resident who knows the true local road and traffic conditions.

I would also like to highlight the immense strain that the Bonny Hills Sewerage Treatment Plant is currently facing. Multiple times over the past 4 months PMHC has been forced into closing Rainbow Beach due to the untreated sewerage overflowing into Duchess creek. Given that the current levels of sewerage cannot be properly managed I argue that a development containing 250 residential units should not be considered.

The land upon which he development is proposed is a significant natural watercourse that should not be interfered with in such a drastic manner. Obviously such a large development will obliterate whatever flora and fauna are currently there and is another nail in the coffin for our endemic species. This large scale irreversible change to a coastal environment is unacceptable, particularly at a time when respect for the environment ought to be prioritised by the government authorities, not treated with irreverence.

All things considered this proposed development is an insult to the local population of Lake Cathie & Bonny Hills and there are many justifiable reasons for the submission to be refused.

I as well strongly disagree with the proposed development.

Our infrastructure, as outlined in comments above, is already overwhelmed and could not support the additional load.

Our roads are in extremely poor condition with increasing congestion, which will not cope with the increased volume of traffic let alone truck movements. There is no mention in the traffic report of the proposed school on the opposing land, which is desperately needed by our community. To say that an aged residential estate opposite a school will have minimal impact on traffic to the area is misleading at best.

Raw sewage is overflowing into our oceans and onto our beaches unable to cope with the increasing population as it is, let alone compounding this with another large scale medium density residential development.

Our medical services are overwhelmed across the region. I recently have made an appointment for my son to see a doctor and was told it would be a 6 week wait!

The wildlife on this land is diverse and abundant. Given the large scale developments that are already highlighted in the Lake Cathie/Bonny Hills Masterplan, surely there needs to be some consideration towards protecting this habitat.

Our community does not want, nor need this development.

Totally against this application whether for the aging demographic or otherwise.
1. No medical/dental services available
2. Insufficient transport to get to medical services out of area. Long distances to travel puts the aging population and other road users at risk, as they attempt to drive
3. Inadequate infrastructure-sewerage, existing high traffic on poorly maintained roads, telecommunication infrastructure at its limit.
4. This land is flood prone-ample photography as evidence is at hand
5. Impact on flora and fauna. Koalas, kangaroos and many other species all at risk
6. No services such as police and ambulance in the area

Hi,
I agree with all of the above comments and I am very concerned that a development of this nature could even be entertained by PMH Council at this location. I am also concerned that PMH Council has not seen fit to alert adjoining land owners by way of correspondence that a development has been proposed and a DA lodged. It may not be a legal requirement in NSW but it surely would be a common courtesy.

There are many aspects of this development, such as loss of R1 rural productive land, traffic increase and flow patterns around Ocean Drive and Bonny View Drive, the current crisis in the provision of health services around Bonny Hills and the lack of infrastructure to privelige the 'new' residents with the lifestyle they seek, which must proclude any development on this land. Although I am deeply concerned with all the issues previously raised, my primary concern is that this development sits on an Overland flow path coming from the west off the Jolly Nose escarpment. I am an adjoinging neighbour to the west and I have a 200-300m view across the subject land. On many occasions in the past 5 years I can report that as far as I could see into the subject property, it was awash with rainwater overflow off the mountain. It's appearance was like that of an inland sea. They refer to the rain events of early 2022 in the Northern Rivers of NSW as a 'Rain Bomb', an unprecedented event that the Bureau of Meteorlology considers could happen more frequently in the coming years. What would happen on this proposed development site if a 'Rain Bomb' were to hit the Port Macquarie Hastings region? What would be the consequences for the occupants of the 241 proposed houses in the development? We are all aware of the Mid North Coast Overnight Lows that can dump 300mm in 24 hours on our coast from time to time. The consequences of those overnight lows would pale into insignificance if we were the target of a 'Rain Bomb', which reportedly in some locations this year dropped more than 600mm of rainfall in a 24 hour period. As claimed by Greg Handley on the 12 April 2022, I also have photos adjacent to the proposed development area which show serious inundation of stormwater overflow and flooding of local properties from a second stream flow, again coming off the Jolly Nose escarpment. Although this development proposal sits on land that is 8 metres above sea level, it still should be considered as Flood Prone due to the impact of the site's 'narrow neck' between hills, restricting the overland flow of stormwater. It is natural topography, and the consequences of the bottleneck cannot be alleviated without major excavation and hence gross environmental damage to the site. Council's own Flood Policy adopted in 2015 states in relation to Safe Access to Flood Refuges:
"where, even though the Development is on Flood free land (i.e., above the PMF), the Policy must be applied." I have seen no evidence in the DA submission that any consideration has been given to the potential for flooding of the proposed residential stages in the development.
This development SHOULD NOT proceed and I would call on the planning experts to see through the shallow motivations of the Developer and apply a common sense outlook to the assessment. We are well catered for in relation to 'Over 55' lifestyle resorts in this area; we DO NOT need any more for the forseable future! Thanks.

I hope all comments are taken seriously and I strongly object to the planned infrastructure in Bonny Hills.

I moved up here for the clean air, eco friendly environment and community spirit. This will all be lost if we continue to rape our land and build build build. This is a very special part of the world that does not need to change because then we will no longer be special but become Sydney ( go visit places like Cherrybrook and Kellyville) they to were once special with rich land and pastures now just dense housing traffic problems and a lack of amenities and community. All for the price of the $$$.

Please consider and keep this place the beautiful place we love and cherish so people have clean air, visitors have a wonderful holiday destination and our native animals have safe homes.

I strongly object to this proposal, it should not proceed. I agree with the comments and reasons already submitted and articulated. This has extremely poor outcomes environmentally, socially and culturally. Show some leadership and stop developments such as these destroying local communities while enriching a few greedy, wealthy developers with no personal stake in the area.

Thank you for the well considered information on this development and for the opportunity to comment.
I totally agree with all the comments already made regarding this development and it’s many shortfalls in this area. I reiterate the following concerns well known to locals:

Already the lack of infrastructure to cope with the present population eg.

1. Stormwater and sewerage treatment under stress in any significant rain event. Saltwater and Duchess creeks, once pristine and supporting small fish etc., are now polluted and cause beautiful Rainbow Beach surfing beach to be intermittently closed. Also seepage is constantly running onto the beach from the channels behind the sand dunes. We are risking the safety of locals and holiday makers.
2. Roads are narrow and in poor condition both north and south of this site. Are we going to create a similar situation as at the junction of Ocean Drive and Houston Mitchell with a school, a housing development, an industrial estate and a retirement village all converging onto it?
3. Medical services….Doctors, hospitals and aged care facilities are already at capacity and “seniors” are dependent on all of these.
4. Environmental factors. There seems little regard for wildlife habitats which are demolished en mass by developers. This not only happens on site but in the waterways , on beaches and eventually in our oceans.

I ask…Why do these proposals just pop up under the guise of “ senior housing” when they do not fit into any local planning and hence no long term adequate local infrastructure? Do developers consult with local Councils? This development does not seem to fit into PMHC Urban Growth Management Strategy. Developers do the minimum infrastructure and the community suffers. Of course all areas need more and improved housing…not only seniors….but they needs to be properly considered and certainly NOT all in one area. When are younger families going to be encouraged as they are needed to service the ageing population and provide a diverse population?

When do we stop “ messing” with our natural environment eg. filling in/ redirecting natural waterways and making new high ground? It never works and something eventually suffers! We are already seeing the disasters in our local coastal waterways eg. Duchess and Saltwater creeks in Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie which is now suffering from cheap and ill planned development years ago.

When is any Government body going to protect our beautiful coastal environments?
This type and place of project seems to exacerbate climate change and certainly not prepare for it’s impact. We are already being attacked from the ocean so why would we help attack from the land.

When are Government departments at any level going to communicate on these very important issues which can lead to such long term environmental disasters? EPA, RPP, local Council.

When are any of us going to consider leaving a “ SOFT FOOTPRINT “ on our land?

Thank you for the opportunity to submit to this proposal.
I am concerned for the over development of this area. I have spent sometime on adjoining land and had the opportunity to observe native birds & animals. This development will assist in the demise of these species.
It is a natural water course and swamp from this site to the east. Having seen flood waters covering the site. How many trees will be removed to ensure the residents homes are safe from bushfire threats?
The infrastructure in this area Lake Cathie- Bonny Hills is stretched to the limit. With the beach being closed due to excess sewage discharge.

I would like to add my views and objections to the proposed rezoning and development at Bonny View Drive.
As a family that have lived here for many years we are seeing the impact of what appears to be development for developments sake.There appears to be no thought given to diversity in the types of development proposed, just more of the same that do not benefit or provide the community with choices of housing or amenities.
It is known locally that the site floods and is habitat for threatened species including koalas, that have already lost most of their core habitat in the area due to bushfires. This land is of ecological importance and should be preserved.
To have another high-density development of this type does not align with the Bonny Hills Community Plan that would like to maintain our village character, provide safe roads, ensure infrastructure for clean water and beaches and have well planned and environmentally sensitive developments.
At the moment our community is facing massive housing shortages and affordability for people of all ages, frequent closure of local beaches due to the sewerage system being inadequate for the current population, roads and parking not coping with traffic as it is,people waiting weeks to see doctors as the health system is overwhelmed and an increased need for water storage. Community facilities and resources are already over-burdened and will be put further under pressure if more of this type of development is approved which is inconsistent with the rural/residential nature of the area.
Thank You.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the above proposal. The proposal only begs for trouble down the track on our already overburdened and threatened environment, flora and fauna and infrastructure. What happened to all the "knows". It's a know swamp land, it's a known wildlife refuge. It's a known that there are two such gated communities within 1 kilometer of the proposed site. Is there really a need for yet another. This is not not in keeping with the village mentality that we as a community and the council were striving to maintain.

I am writing to make a submission to Seniors service self-care housing at Lot 4 DP 844371 and Lot 1 DP 1018270, Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills currently under assessment by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (SCC Number SCC2021PORTM-2. Planning panel reference number PPSNTH-153).

I object to the proposal and believe it should not be approved. There are several areas the proposed development is unsuitable on the subject lot including Ecological and Biodiversity, Flood and Stormwater, Traffic, Sewer, and Social Impact. Details regarding each of these areas are included below.

It is also noted that there is no date which the application was lodged listed on the planning portal and that the generated application form notes that this application is being assessed under State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability) 2004. This SEPP was repealed on the 26th November 2021 and replaced with the new State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021, Part 5 of which states that this does not apply to Land Zoned RU1- Primary Production Therefore if the application was lodged following 26th November 2021 then it is not permitted on the RU1- Primary Production Zoning and should be rejected.

Ecological and Biodiversity.
A ‘Bushfire Threat Assessment’ and ‘Preliminary Ecological Assessment’ has been submitted with this application. Both prepared by Kleinfelder Australia Pty Ltd. The proposed development includes the construction of 241 serviced selfcare units/ independent living units. To construct the proposed development will require significant clearing of native vegetation for construction plus the creation of the required Asset Protection Zones (APZ).

It is noted that the ecological assessment included with the lodged documentation prepared by Kleinfelder Australia Pty Ltd and dated 18th October 2021 is preliminary and in the conclusion notes that:
“A number of key ecological constraints exist within the Subject Site, including Swamp Sclerophyll Forest EEC, Core Koala Habitat and historic threatened species records. However, the Subject Site is suitably located within close proximity to existing urban land uses and is positioned as to avoid ‘environmentally sensitive’ land as defined by the Seniors Housing SEPP (i.e. mapped coastal wetlands). As such, the site is compatible for development associated with the provision of seniors housing in accordance with the Seniors Housing SEPP. Further threatened species surveys are recommended to support any future Development Application (DA), including for Koala and Wallum Froglet. Furthermore, based on the results of this preliminary ecological assessment, development within the site would likely trigger the Biodiversity Offset Scheme (BOS), requiring a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR). With a minimum lot size of 40 ha, the vegetation clearing threshold that would trigger entry into the BOS is one (1) hectare”

• Several times within this report it notes that further studies are required.
• It notes that the proposed development is built across land which is a ‘Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) - Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains of the New South Wales North Coast’ refer to Figure 6 Page 28 of the report.
• It notes the presence Core Koala Habitat including Primary Koala Browse Trees (Swamp Mahogany, Tallow Wood and Blackbutt) within the three small surveyed areas.
• No Nocturnal Assessment has been conducted. Only a six hour daytime survey.
• Within the Three (3) small areas surveyed nine (9) hollow bearing trees were located. These trees are crucial habitat for native wildlife and should be preserved.
• In Appendix B the tables note several threatened species which are likelihood to occur as being Low, Medium and High. The threated species noted as High include the Koala and Wallum Froglet. It is worth noting in the ecological surveys competed as part of the Rainbow Beach Subdivision the Wallum Froglet was found and significant wildlife corridors and areas of C2- Environmental Conservation Zoning Created for this reason.
• In Appendix E-1 “Threatened Ecological Community Determination – BC Act Swamp
Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains of the New South Wales North Coast,Sydney Basin and South East Corner Bioregions – EEC” Page 70 States under determination “The vegetation within the Study Area meets the definition of the Endangered Ecological Community Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains of the New South Wales North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner Bioregions as listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.”

Given the significant environmental issues (Flora and Fauna) present on the site including:
• Koala Core Habitat exists
• High likelihood of Koala population (Listed a vulnerable Species by the NSW Gov. and Endanged by the Aust. Federal Government)
• High likelihood of Wallum Froglet Population
• The presence of Threatened Ecological Communities
the proposed development should not be supported. At a bare minimum, although not sufficient given the biodiversity tragedy we are facing within NSW and Australia, a full and proper ecological and biodiversity survey should be conducted which includes the whole site and nocturnal assessment. Native Vegetation and Wildlife corridors rezoned as C2- Environmental Conservation should be created within the Threatened Ecological Communities and along the Ocean Drive frontage.

Flood and Stormwater

The subject lot is not within the mapped flood planning area. It is however noted that there are two unnamed water course which traverse the site where the proposed development is to be constructed. These two water course form the head water of Duchess creek. In even a moderate rainfall event the site is inundated with significant surface and ground water which results in flooding across these site. The proposed development will require significant fill to create a safe area for the elderly residents. A full flood study with modelling to address catchment area, flood flows and velocities, and the impacts to both up and down stream existing residences/ property should be required to correctly assess the impacts of the proposed development. It is noted that stormwater retention has been shown on the site plan. This stormwater retention is vastly undersized given that the site is regular underwater. The proposed development should not be supported as the significant earthwork required would have adverse impacts to the catchment and exitsing up and down stream properties.
Traffic
It is noted that a Traffic Impact Assessment has been lodged as part of the application with conclusions drawn from Council’s data of Ocean Drive vehicle numbers and assumptions made from a nearby Over 55 lifestyle village (Ocean Club Resort). Although the assessment notes that the estimated increase to vehicle usage of Ocean Drive to be appropriate it does not consider the wider problem on poor traffic infrastructure, intersections and road surfaces. There have been accidents in the past year nearby at Lake Cathie (north of the proposed development) which have resulted from increased traffic flows on Ocean Drive and poorly designed intersections. The proposed development should not be supported unless significant upgrades to Ocean Drive are implemented including, at cost to the developer, including the developer being responsible for funding appropriate intersections on Bonny View Drive, a significant upgrade of the Bonny View Drive and Ocean Drive intersection including appropriately sized turning lane of traffic and areas for school bus pickup/ drop off, and a reduction of the Ocean Drive speed limit from 70km/h to 50km/h.

It is also noted that there are no adequate footpaths along Ocean Drive to the future Rainbow Beach town centre or crossings on Ocean Drive which would facilitate safe pedestrian access from the proposed development. The application notes its proximity to this future town centre as being a reason why it is suitable in this application however it does not create access for its residents to these future facilities. The proposed development in essence creates a segregated community without suitable and safe access to the wider community which is in stark contrast to current trends and best practice in Town Planning of walkable cities. The proposed development should not be approved given the traffic/pedestrian infrastructure available to the site.

Social Impact

No social impact assessment is included with the application. A full social impact assessment should be provide to enable a full and proper assessment of the proposal.

Sewer
The proposed development should not be supported as the local sewer infrastructure is not sufficient for the current residents occupying Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie.

Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie are serviced by a single wastewater treatment plant located behind the dunes of Rainbow Beach and on Duchess Creek. This existing wastewater treatment plant is not able to adequate treat and dispose of effluent with the current number of residents serviced by the plant. Several times this year Rainbow Beach has been closed as a result of poor water quality (effulent overflow) which travels from the treatment plant via Duchess Creek or absorption through the dunes onto Rainbow Beach. This result occurs each time there is a small to medium sized rainfall event. It has significant environmental impact and is an important factor for consideration of any large scale development.

Another factor which needs to be considered is the approved development which is yet to be constructed, that is development which is approved by council and has not been constructed so is not yet contribution to load on the waster water treatment plant. In the next few years, alongside current vacant lots or residences under construction there are three significant developments being constructed:
1. Rainbow Beach Subdivision- An approximate 477 yet to be constructed residential lots and 7 yet to be constructed large medium density lots.
2. Ocean Club Resort (Over 55 Lifestyle Village) approximately 144 residences to be constructed.
3. Gem Life (Over 55 Lifestyle Village) approximately 187 residences including large lot residential.

So in total that is a minimum of 815 new dwellings which does not include the medium density dwellings or future commercial or light industrial development. There is significant environmental cost to the increasing amount of effluent which flows into Rainbow Beach on both wildlife and residents of the area. It is clear that given the current overload and failure of the system adding the additional 241 residences included with this development will come as a significant environmental cost and should not be supported.

A related point which is important to note is that the site is often inundated by flood waters (both surface and ground water). This site is an important flood storage area that helps to regulate flood flows into Duchess Creek. Increasing hardstand areas and flood flows resulting from the proposed development into Duchess Creek will significantly increase contamination flows into Rainbow Beach and the retention shown on the site plan is not sufficient to mitigate this.

The proposed development should not be supported as current wastewater infrastructure is not sufficient to manage current needs let alone the increase resulting development.

In conclusion, the proposed development Seniors service self-care housing at Lot 4 DP 844371 and Lot 1 DP 1018270, Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills is not suitable for the site and should not be supported. There are significant Ecological and Biodiversity, Flood and Stormwater, Traffic, Sewer, and Social Impacts. The result is a development which is unsuitable and unsustainable on the proposed site. There are several Seniors housing options in the nearby Camden Haven and Port Macquarie area and two Over 55 lifestyle villages partially complete or currently under constructed within the Lake Cathie area. To destroy the local environment, which ironically is the reason so many chose to live or move to the Bonny Hills/ Lake Cathie area, for developer profit is irresponsible at best. I urge the Northern Regional Planning Panel and all those involved in the assessment of this application to not support this and reject this application. We must start to pryotise our environment and communities over developer profits.

Please reconsider this proposed destruction of habitat. There are koalas in the area. We owe it to keep as much of their habitat as possible. There land is not ideal to build on, but it is ideal for our wildlife. I object to this proposal and would like to see this land saved.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
I strongly object to this development for the following reasons:     
There is a lack of infrastructure for existing residents of the Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA and this needs to be addressed before further development is even considered, let alone approved.  The lack of infrastructure includes but is not limited to roads (see below), water, sewage (see below), medical and emergency services.  The more people that move to the area the more health and emergency services that are required.  This is not rocket science - it is basic common sense.  Local doctor surgeries have their books closed to new patients so where will these residents access health services?  The local Base Hospital is at full capacity and there has been no upgrade announced to cater for the already increased population.  ·     
The damage and destruction of habitat for native animals, reptiles and insects.  The proposed development land is Critical Koala Habitat.  Has the Government already forgotten the hundreds of Koalas that were lost in the 2019 / 2020 bushfires in the area just North of Lake Cathie?  We cannot continue to destroy the habitat of this native species and many others.  It is time to stop and look at sustainable development, especially in Coastal areas.      ·     
Lack of public transport.  Again, Governments are continuing to encourage and approve large scale developments without any increase in public transport.  This region is known for its poor or, in some areas, non-existent, public transport.  If there is no public transport then private transport, i.e. cars are the only alternative.  This area is not within walking distance to any shopping or medical facilities so cars are the only logical transport.  More cars = more traffic to already congested roads.   Governments need to stop encouraging and approving further development without providing the funds for road upgrades. ·     
The current system sewage system for the area does not cope with the volume of people as it is and sewage ends up leaching into the nearby creek and eventually into the ocean.  Why is this acceptable to Government?  What about the proposed health risks to the community?    ·     
The area is swamp and floods severely with more than 50ml of rain, which seems to be a common occurrence nowadays.  Have Governments learnt nothing from the severe destruction the recent rain events have had on the areas in Northern NSW and South East Queensland?  Governments must stop allowing developments on low lying areas.  Who has checked with the Insurance Council to ensure that the proposed residents will be covered by reasonably priced insurance cover?  If the Government approves this development and the buildings are in any way affected by flood water then the residents should be able to sue the Government for allowing the development in the first instance.  However, common sense and history should prevail and that is no more development in low lying areas. 
Again, I thank you for the opportunity to comment.

I refer to the submission of the Site Compatibility Certificate SCC reference # SCC2021PORTM-2, dated11/11/2021: Seniors service self-care housing, Part Lot 4 DP 844371 and part Lot 1 DP 1018270, - Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills and proposals for re-zoning to allow the DA to proceed.
Our family has spent annual holidays in Bonny Hills for 30 years. I have been a ratepayer for 20years and a resident for 15 years.
I respectfully object to this specific development of the Seniors service self-care housing plan as proposed on the following grounds:
1. There are future housing and commercial developments already under construction or proposed as part of Area 14, while the infrastructure urgently required within Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie to sustain a massive increase in population remains inadequate. I note especially:-
a. the risk to lives of there being no plans to construct the overpass connecting
Houston-Mitchell Road with the Pacific Highway. The newly constructed off
an on-ramps will reduce some risk, but for the increased traffic turning across
the highway will still be at high risk of having a collision.
b. the need for upgrading, widening and additional traffic controls of Ocean Drive.
c. the Bonny Hills sewerage system, already augmented, not being able to cope
adequately with projected demand and with severe rain events. As a
consequence, there are resulting discharges of sewerage into Duchess Creek
and the ocean; as well from overflowing inspection sites (Rodley st) discharging
into Saltwater/Vinegar Creek then the Ocean.
d. the massive increase of water supply from Cowarra Dam needed to be piped
to this area Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
e. the urgent need for increased public hospital and associated medical services,
as well local medical clinics some of which are severely stressed at the present
time.
2. To accommodate such a large number of dwellings and proposed services, the land area would be clear felled of all trees to be replaced later by plants and scrubs. The damage and destruction of habitat of this existing area of wildlife refuge as well as critical koala habitat would be offensive to all who want to see Bonny Hills retain village-like qualities, and who demand that a much more thorough environmental impact be undertaken.
3. The Environmental Overview 5.1 states that “ the subject site is not identified in Council’s Flood Planning Map’ and later ‘the SCC stormwater/surface water management plan would be prepared as part of the DA.’
In the recent extreme weather events of 2021-2 , it was plainly obvious to residents that the Part Lots in question off Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills carried huge volumes of service water that banked up behind Ocean Drive, despite there being three culverts designed to discharge the run off.
The plans provide for a “Landscaped detention basin” presumably to hold surplus water and silting allowing run off when filled to overflowing.
What guarantee would be given that the water management installed would be adequate and self care resident’s properties would not be impacted by water damage and a re-categorisation of risk to flooding by the Insurance Council?
4. The Project Attached Plans show a “Possible location of future bypass” in the corner and adjacent to Ocean Drive. On previous area designs, the “Possible location of future bypass” was across the Part Lots. Residents expected that this was a plan with substance to ease congestion on part of Ocean Drive. What is the status of the pre-existing by pass plan for Bonny Hills?
I submit these as the major reasons for my objection.
Ian Richardson, Bonny Hills

I object to the Seniors service self-care housing, Part Lot 4 DP 844371 and part Lot 1 DP 1018270, - Bonny View Drive, Bonny Hills and proposals for re-zoning to allow the DA to proceed. The reasons for the objection are due to the inadequate infrastructure to cope with this development.
1. The local council sewerage system cannot cope now and is constantly overflowing on to Rainbow Beach. The most recent occurrence is today (23-05-22) after a day of heavy rain. The Gem Life development already approved has not come online yet and our sewerage system is not coping now. I have to wonder if the developer was requested to provide an upgrade of our sewerage system at their expense would they still be interested.
2. The proposed development site is regularly under water after rain. Approving this development would create a situation similar to the recent flooding that has occurred in Lismore.
3. If the developer was to fill the land to prevent the flooding occurring for their development, this would create flooding of properties in Bonny View Estate. The water run off from Jolly Nose mountain can be phenomenal.
4. The local road infrastructure is at a maximum now. I believe the developer should pay or make a major contribution to the installation of a 4 lane roundabout at the corner of Bonny View Drive and Ocean Drive as a minimum contribution to the substantial additional traffic this development would create.
5. Medical infrastructure in the area is very poor. There is a need for more Doctors and specialists to be housed in the region before a third Seniors Service Self Care housing development is approved in the area.
6. The electricity network needs substantial upgrading before any further developments occur in the area. This estate already has significant unplanned outages due to the substandard network.
I am not against sensible, sustainable, thoughtful development, however until the essential infrastructure is upgraded to support this development it does not meet any criteria of being sensible, sustainable or thoughtful.

In addition to all the other points raised in objection to this development, I feel it necessary to add that the parking situation in Port is under enormous stress. Another seniors development will significantly add to the congestion as every car from the “lifestyle villages” will want to access seniors or possibility disability parking. There is no plan for increased traffic or demand for parking anywhere is the Hastings area. I fear there will be nowhere for people to park and frustration will increase.
Also, we’ve just heard that koalas are now on the endangered species list. We are so fortunate to live in a koala habitat and the natural environment must be given the highest priority. The recent federal election result should make all councils realise that climate action and habitat conservation are important to the people and our voices can’t be ignored.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
I strongly object to this development for the following reasons:
Sewage overflow issues: A masterplan was developed back in 2001 if not prior for significant parts of land being developed into residential lots between Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills, together with a new sewage treatment plant. What has become apparent over the last few years is the treatment plant cannot cope with the current increase in volume from the approved developments, (which are less than 50% developed) leading to regular sewage spills into creeks, waterways and onto the only patrolled beach of the area.

Lack of services for an ageing population:Due to lack of development control (saying 'no'), over-development of the area and shrinking block sizes to pack more homes into developments, residents of the area face significant increases to traffic, increase in crime with no current police outpost, and an increase in demand on over-stretched GP and allied health services - who's books are closed to new patients and existing patients wait weeks to be seen.

Loss of amenity: Current residents are experiencing loss of open space, narrower roads in subdivisions, poorly designed or half finished junctions that lead to regular vehicle accidents due to increase in road users to the area, lack of basic infrastructure, regular power outages from an over-stretched substation, lack of footpaths, shared pathways or dedicated cycle lanes, lack of transport services requiring everyone of driving age and ability? to use and maintain a car, and lack of facilities for young people to attend locally.

The wrong block: The block of land Lot 4 DP 844371 and part Lot 1 DP 1018270, Bonny View Drive (corner of Ocean Drive), Bonny Hills was zoned rural and sold as rural land, and a now closed loophole in the planning legislation has allowed a for-profit company to put in this application. It is well documented the land is flood prone, and home to significant wildlife species, including koalas who are now endangered, and other wildlife such as kangaroos displaced by the planned development on the east of Ocean Drive.

Existing housing options available for this age bracket: The area between Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills is already well serviced by gated communities with exclusive facilities available to their own residents, when completed the two planned over 50's lifestyle resorts will have a total of 568 homes, with potentially over 1100 residents between them requiring increasing health services and aged assistance in an area ill equipped to do so. This is already a burden on the existing services available in the area, why would you consider adding a further gated community of 241 homes, potentially a further 480 residents to use the same poor services, infrastructure, lack of transport, and in such a poor location.

I strongly object to this planning proposal, we do not require further private-owned senior housing options in this area. We are at saturation point, and we do not need to see any further development in this area.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment . We have owned our property in Bonny View Estate since 1996. Its appeal was and is the natural environment together with its associated wildlife.
The development of the " Seniors Living" estates at Lake Cathie are examples of how such constructions dramatically change the the landscape.
Driving past all one sees are rooftops resembling army camps such is their negative impact on the local area.
Other writers have already set out in detail the wide ranging reasons for opposing this development.. Having read them closely we endorse them all rather than repeat them once more.
However we would like to emphasize that:
- The area is subject to low level flooding despite the claim that it is not in a flood zone.
Don't make this another example of poor planning.
- Traffic problems would undoubtedly increase.
- Current electricity and sewerage infrastructure doesn't cope.
- In drought times we already have endless water restrictions.
-- Does the area really need yet another overcrowded life-style "army camp " in our
area?
Please do not continue to alter the unique environment of Bonny Hill by going ahead with this development.

A major concern I have with developments in this area is the lack of adequate infrustructure and amenities.

I have been unable to find a local doctor since living at Bonny Hills despite ringing the local medical centers every month. I am advised they have all closed their waitlists because there just aren't enough doctors in the area. The majority of these proposed developments are for people aged 55 and over who will require adequate medical support which the will not be able to receive in this area. The local hospital is stretched beyond its limits in lieu of available GPs as people have no option but the emergency room for minor medical assistance.

The proposed development on Bonny View Drive is on a flood plain. I have seen this location flood on many occasion and given the changes to our climate it is no doubt going to get worse. It is illogical to build housing here - you will have the issues experienced by people in Sydney who have flooded 4 times this year while residing in "once in 100 year" flood paths.

Since living in this area I have noticed firstly kangaroos being pushed out of their land, grazing on the side of Ocean Drive which is a huge danger to them, and to motorists. Sadly the more time that passes, the fewer kanragoos I see. I went from seeing 30 kangaroos in an 8 minute drive 5 years ago, to 8 kangaroos earlier this year, and I haven't seen one in recent times. The devesation of koala habitat in this proposed development site is a further blow to their population after the 19/20 fires. The wildlife is now effectively cut off from access to the beach which is a huge loss to all.

Please address these issues before placing people in flood zones, harming the wildlife and over burdening the health system.