Discussion
39The planners disagree about the development's consistency with the relevant 1(a) Rural General Zone objectives.
40Mr Fish believes that the development meets the relevant objectives of the zone. He states in his statement to the Court that the development seeks to preserve the established rural character, visual amenity and scenic qualities of the locality. In his assessment, the development is appropriate in a rural setting and will have no visual impact on the users of Saltwater Road, which in his view is the only public place from which the development has the potential to be seen. In any event his evidence is that additional planting to further screen the development from Saltwater Road can be conditioned if required.
41The design of the development is, according to Mr Fish, appropriate in a coastal setting given its typical residential form and, therefore it is consistent with the aims in SEPP 71. He also believes that the development does not diminish the character of the area surrounding the village given that there are a number of large residential buildings in the village of Wallabi Point. In his assessment the size, height and bulk of the main building is not inconsistent with those existing buildings.
42Ms Bowden takes the opposite view. Her evidence is that the development is not consistent with the relevant General zone objective (c) in cl12 which requires: "the protection and conservation of...environmental values of the land and visual amenity including landscape and scenic qualities, rural character and tourism values" or the relevant Zone No1 (a) Rural General objectives (a) and (d). In her view this development is prohibited under the zoning table.
43In her assessment a Bio-clinic Facility is inconsistent with the Rural 1(a) zone objectives identified because it is a development of a type and intensity that is uncharacteristic of and incompatible with a rural location adjacent to a National park and sensitive coastal location.
44Her evidence is that the facility is not appropriate in the rural locality "... by virtue of the adverse impacts of the development on the nonuniform and natural rural character of the locality". She believes that "...the existing rural character creates a sense of place through the spatial arrangement of the landscape and the proposal does not visually fit within that existing landscape"(addendum joint report Exhibit G) While she accepts that the reduced height of the amended proposal is important in the design to ensure that the development is less visible from the frontage of Saltwater Road, she is still concerned about its height and bulk and scale when viewed from the other vantage points that the Court was taken to on the view - (marked on Exhibit A).
45In her assessment the development is not sympathetic with the environmental character of the land or appropriate in this rural location, proximate to the beach, coastline, headland and adjoining National Park.
46She believes that the visual amenity (landscape and scenic quality) of the land will be uncharacteristically punctuated by the sheer bulk, scale and size of this development. In her view the built form is simply not compatible with the undeveloped adjoining landscape and general character of the locality (Exhibit G). The development is not sympathetic with the environmental characteristics of the land as it bears little association, has few elements in common with the undeveloped rural nature of the locality. She says this disparity is clearly observable from Saltwater Rod as there is simply no evidence that any landscaping will ultimately ensure that built form is not visible from Saltwater Road and not alter the character or visual amenity of Wallabi Point. (Addendum Report 4.4) Exhibit G. She is not satisfied with the detail of the design in particular the final landscaping detail and how the development will comply with the required APZ requirements and the GTA for the RFS.
47Ms Bowen is of the opinion that "this random development" is out of place and that this isolated rural site is not suitable for the proposed clinic/ hospital use.
48Ms Bowen's is of the opinion that "insufficient information has been submitted to allow a comprehensive assessment of the development's ability to protect the adjoining environmentally sensitive areas", or assess its consistency with the relevant zone objectives.
49The development is sited in the south-eastern corner of the lot where the land has been cleared of its natural vegetation. The design places the seven buildings in an area of 8.64 ha surrounded by an Asset Protection Zone (APZ) in accordance with the general terms of approval issued by the Rural Fire Service (RFS) by letter dated 19 February 2014.
50The Asset Protection Zones (APZs) required by the RFS, as detailed on the site plan (Exhibit E), are necessarily arduous because they are "...are intended to provide sufficient space and maintain reduced full loads so as to ensure radiant heat levels of buildings are below critical limits and to prevent direct flame contact with a building." The condition requires an APZ of:
...35 m from the northern and eastern boundaries, 45 m from the southern boundary, 50 m from the western elevations of the buildings and 60 m from the south western boundary shall be managed as an inner protection area (IPA) as outlined within section 4.1.3 and Appendix 5 of Planning for Bushfire Protection 2006 and the NSW Rural Fire Service's document 'Standards for asset protection zones.'
51When read with the relevant provisions of the abovementioned documents the RFS condition requires the applicant to clear the APZ as an Inner Protection Area (IPA) and provide a tree canopy of less than 15% at least 2 m from any part of the roofline of a dwelling, garden beds of flammable shrubs are not to be located under trees and should be no closer than 10 m from an exposed window or door. Trees should have lower limbs removed up to a height of 2 m above the ground (p 51 Appendix 2, Exhibit 6).
52Additionally, the RFS require the applicant to provide safe operational access for emergency vehicles by providing internal pathway networks compliant with s 4.1.3(3) fire trails of the Rural Fire Service publication - Planning for Bushfire Protection 2006.
53The plans before the Court indicate a path network for emergency vehicles but the detail of how the applicant will provide compliant access is unclear. Mr Fish accepted that an internal path 6 m wide with a 20 m long x 3 m wide turning bay every 200 m might satisfy compliance. However, the applicant's advocate advised in final submissions that his client had not yet settled the detail for the emergency vehicle paths and was considering alternative solutions to meet the criteria. By the conclusion of the hearing it was clear that there was simply no final detail of the landscaping for the APZ area and, therefore, no opportunity for the Court to determine whether the RFS requirements could be achieved by this development on the site.
54The concept plan produced by Mr Fish relies upon a 20% tree canopy. As he accepted in cross-examination, that percentage is not compliant with the RFS requirement. In response the applicant submits the landscape detail can be provided as a condition of consent (as per condition 8 of the RFS's GTA at Folio 234 Exhibit 5). While that may be acceptable course in some cases it is unacceptable in circumstances where the development's permissibility requires an assessment of the development's consistency with zone objectives that seek to preserve the established rural character, visual amenity and scenic qualities of the locality in the Rural 1(a) Zone.
55The lack of detail and uncertainly about the locations and widths of internal pathways and turning bays and the proposed landscaping within the APZ is a fundamental flaw in this application. It makes it impossible for the Court to accurately assess whether the visual impact of this development is consistent with being "sympathetic with the environmental characteristics of the land or appropriate in a rural location." (The relevant zone objective of the 1(a) Rural General Zone under LEP 1995 which applies by dint of the savings provision in cl 1.8A of LEP 2010).
56The fact is that the southern boundary of this site adjoins the Saltwater National Park and a small creek (Saltwater Gully) drains from the site into the adjoining Saltwater National Park. The development in my assessment can only be sympathetic with these environmental characteristics of the land if it is appropriately landscaped. As it stands, I have no idea how much of the land needs to be cleared to provide for the APZ's and what landscaping is proposed. In my assessment, the integration of the built form so that it is appropriate in this rural location and sympathetic with the environmental characteristics of the land is dependant upon appropriate screening by the dense vegetation along the frontage of the property and around the built form. Accordingly, I need to know and assess that detail in order to from a view as to whether the development is consistent with the relevant zone objectives and thereby permissible.
57The Office of Environmental Heritage after assessing the amended application raises issues with the visual impact of the proposal from Saltwater Headland in Saltwater National Park and elevated areas of Hallidays Point (at folio 217 Exhibit 1). In particular, the appropriateness of the visual amenity of the development at night - when light penetrates through the existing Norfolk Island pine trees.
58Additionally, the Department raises concern about the impact of the development on the declared Aboriginal Place some 500 m from the site. With the dedication of the Khappinghat Nature Reserve and Saltwater National Park to "protect sensitive coastal beach and wetlands, dry and wet heath and estuary and forest communities on the Mid North Coast of NSW' and the listing of the Saltwater Aboriginal Place under s 84 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974"- recognising Saltwater and its special significance with respect to Aboriginal culture - it is difficult to accept Mr Fish's evidence that the visual impact of the development from the National Park is not a relevant concern because no one can access that area easily "...unless bush bashing". The applicant has provided no assessment of the visual impact of the development from that important vantage point. As a consequence, I am not able to assess whether the development is consistent with the identified zone objectives.
59I also find it difficult to accept as adequate (despite the Council's acceptance) Mr Fish's two-page Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Due Diligence Report dated 17/3/2014 in satisfaction of the requirement for an assessment of the impact of the development. It does not include a systematic archaeological survey over the proposed development site (in consultation with a qualified Archaeologist endorsed by, and in conjunction with, the Purfleet - Taree Local Aboriginal Land Council) as recommended by the office of Environment and Heritage in its letter dated 28/1/2014.
60The Aboriginal cultural significance of the site and area was the subject of the evidence of Mr Leon, Mr Clarke and Mr Worboys. Both men recalled the site as a meeting place for Aboriginal people from about 1933. The report prepared by the applicant in this case (Exhibit C), together with an earlier report at cl 4.6.1 of Exhibit F, which relies on AHIMS, web service searches. This material falls short of the recommended site investigation suggested by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as proposed for this application (Exhibit Folio 215 at Folio 217 Exhibit 5). While the parties' experts may consider the report with regard to Aboriginal Cultural Heritage to be appropriate due diligence I cannot accept that it is sufficient. There is no evidence of specific assessment of the site as was recommended in consultation with relevant Aboriginal community members.