Community Forum with Rose Group on Shop Plans

The Alliance organised a meeting with representatives from the CHB Alliance, CHB Progress Association and other community members with Bryan Rose and other Rose Group staff on 6 December 2023. The purpose of the meeting was for Rose Group to present preliminary plans for the retail precinct of the Beaches estate.

Bryan Rose advised that the Rose Group has been in dialogue with Lake Macquarie Council (LMCC) and they are close to a final design for the retail shop. The building is to be a meeting place for community and in keeping with Australian Coastal design whilst designed in conjunction with local Catherine Hill Bay Heritage.

 LMCC have expressed some concerns which they are working on and DA will be lodged early 2024 (March/April).

Rose Group apologised for delays in getting to this stage; they are now intending to work with community groups, hold forums to go through current designs.

  • Sketches shown to attendees and explained and discussed  

  • General store 750 metres square.

  • Site 3700 metres squared which includes parking for 15 vehicles (2 disabled).

  • Building to have a 4.5 metre wrap around veranda/awning 3.7 metres height.

  • Envisaged to be a General Store/deli and Café.

  • Large building which has flexibility for future.

  • Rose Group to own the building and lease only to appropriate operator with requirements of community such as general store café purposes.

  • Main entry on Hale Street.

  • Large area of Landscaping on Montefiore side.

  • Operating hours of General store café not finalised as yet, will depend on operator and economics of business.

  • Design has been worked on in conjunction with EJE Architects who are Heritage Architects.

  • Construction materials and colours in keeping with CHB area, weather board and tin roof, Australian Coastal design.

  • LMCC agreeable for DA to be lodged before completion of civil works.

  • Street lights are selected from Ausgrid.

The height of the construction is not within the original site DCP; however given the architectural design and in line with Heritage Architect support LMCC could be sympathetic with support of local community groups. Further consultation with local community groups is required for this support. There are only three points of the building which would be viewable from original Catherine Hill Bay village.

Rose group are agreeable to look at landscaping to minimise height issue.

The issue is the DCP for this site has a height restriction of 5 metres; however the current design has a height of 7.2 metres on three roof pitches. The design and location of the General store on the 3700-metre square site to minimise the need for any ramps, so the building is flat and has easy access.  

Concerns raised;

  • Design not within DCP, need to preserve the heritage of the village

  • Concerns of lighting from building

  • Requested speed humps be included in plans for Hale Street

  • Requested more detail on landscaping designs

 

Copy of current designs to be provided to CHB Alliance.

Catherine Hill Bay Community Alliance Inc