New housing approvals in Sutherland Shire are easily exceeding the target set by the state government.
This is revealed in a council report supporting the reintroduction of minimum lot sizes for dual occupancy, townhouse and villa developments in R2 low density residential zones.
The council started the process of seeking to amend the local environmental plan (LEP) last year following a flood of complaints about overdevelopment.
Cheryl Jackson, 73, who has lived at the top of a cul-de-sac, Woodward Avenue in Caringbah South for 43 years, is being surrounded by dual occupancy homes.
Four DAs have been approved in just over a year, and a fifth is pending.
“It’s a ludicrous situation in a cul-de-sac with a narrow turning circle and a children’s playground,” she said.
Even if minimum lot sizes applied, the developments in Woodward Avenue would still have been approved as the lot sizes are above the proposed minimum.
The proposed requirement for dual occupancy is at least 600 square metres in R2 low density residential zones and 700 square metres in E4 environmental living zones.
For townhouses and villas in R2 zones, the proposed minimum is 1200 square metres
The report said the recently finalised South District Plan set the shire a target of 5200 extra dwellings from 2016 to 2021.
Since the gazettal in June, 2015, of the new LEP, 5054 new homes had been approved and it was estimated there would be 7710 approvals by 2021, although not all would proceed.
The report said the proposed minimum lot sizes could be adopted and the council still meet the government target.
