IF YOU live in a dual occupancy, townhouse or ground-floor unit you may get less sunshine or privacy in your backyard under the latest version of Sutherland Shire’s draft development control plan.
But if you live own a waterfront property you can expect more space to moor bigger boats.
These were some of the last-minute changes to Sutherland Shire’s draft development control plan discussed at last week’scouncil meeting.
The DCP provides planning and design guidelines to support the Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015.
Under the changes to the DCP, the maximum permitted length of jetties goes from nine metres to 20metres and the distance that moored vessels can extend from high-water mark goes from 15metres to 25metres.
The trial period for late-night trading is reduced from three years to one year for entertainment and function centres, food and drink premises, restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs, small bars and registered clubs.
Operating hours for these venues have been extended from midnight to 3am in high-activity zones and from 11pm to 1am in medium-activity zones.
Councillor Diedree Steinwall was concerned about solar access.
Under the 2006 version of the DCP, backyards of 18square metres had to have four hours of solar access from 9am to 3pm on the shortest day of the year, June21.
Under the 2015 draft DCP this is cut back to three hours any time between 9am to 3pm on June21 for 10sqm of space. ‘‘It’s inadequate to have three hours between 9am and 3pm solar access for 10sqm in townhouses but probably unavoidable given the increases granted in the LEP on floor-space ratios for townhouses from .45 to .55 of the site,’’ Cr Steinwall said.
‘‘But it’s extremely unfair for residents of single dwellings and dual occupancies who’d expect there would be more solar access in their backyards.’’
For single dwellings and dual occupancies she wanted to change the open-space requirements to 18sqm which would be half the average-size backyards.
Cr Steinwall’s amendment was knocked back.
The draft DCP states that private courtyards in residential blocks can now be set back 1.5metres from the footpath instead of 3metres as in the 2006 DCP.
Cr Phil Blight said it was a detrimental step and asked to keep the 3metres standard.
Cr Cook spoke against the suggestion saying a 1.5metre setback would allow bigger courtyards and access to sunlight.
Cr Hassan Awada said a 3metre setback can present a serious security risk to people waking in the early morning or at night. ‘‘If neglected it could be a place to dump your can of Coke or syringe,’’ he said.
Councillors voted for the 1.5metre setback to be included in the draft DCP.
Cr Blight said the draft DCP includes the NSW government Apartment Design Guide allowing use of rooftops.
‘‘The problem is that with our new floor-space ratios in the new LEP there isn’t enough space on the ground for communal space,’’ he said.
‘‘This means that in future, architects may have to design unit blocks with communal space on rooftops presenting all kinds of privacy and noise issues.’’
The draft development control plan will be re-exhibited for public comment for 28 days.
