8 DECEMBER 2021
ISSUE 268
REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS
News
Domestic manufacturing was the focus of a recent meeting outside the Kangy Angy Maintenance Facility to discuss the new intercity trains delay. See page 3
The teachers at Toukley Preschool have been recognised as some of Australia’s most outstanding educators at Futurity Investment Group’s National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA). See page 27
Preschool teachers gain national recognition for excellence
Out&About
Central Coast Council has a huge two months of events and activities planned to help bring Town Centres back to life... See page 13
Business
The teachers of Toukley Preschool
Residents say Toukley can’t support boarding house Residents in Toukley have come out fighting against an audacious move by developer Seranin to advertise a proposed boarding house that is yet to win Council approval as being “under construction”. The timing of the move has inflamed the community which is currently putting together a second round of responses to a fourth DA the developer had lodged with Council. Alarmed by the developer’s online advertisement, some of the residents have also expressed strong concerns
that the proposed boarding house is reportedly being listed on booking websites, billed as “serviced apartments”. “I was horrified to see an advertisement for serviced apartments,” said resident, Carolyn Dring. “The truth is that it will be a boarding house for 92 people,” she said. 51 Peel St, a former nursing home that enjoys views over the lake, has been subject to ongoing contention since the first DA was lodged back in 2018. Since then, plans for a boarding house have ping ponged between the Council
and the owners of the site, Seranin. The first DA was rejected in 2018, a second withdrawn, a third refused in September 2020, while a fourth, submitted in March, resulted in the Council calling for a significant amount of further information. Open for community consultation until January 17, this time residents are being asked to respond specifically to the further information that has been supplied Seranin. Submissions have already been lodged by 10 individuals in response. The fourth DA attracted 197 community submissions in
July, during which time the ‘Concerned Residents of Proposal For Boarding, Toukley’ Facebook group swelled to 311 members with 26 of those joining in the last month alone. The group has a fresh set of concerns, among them an adjustment to the number of people the boarding house will accommodate. It was originally stipulated that the building would contain 65 rooms, a number that has fallen by 10 to 55. At the same time, however, the number of residents has grown from 84 to 92. Residents say that this modification, which has led to
the creation of more double rooms, was subtly introduced in the hope it would be overlooked. “How many times do we have to submit objections to Council before they will take notice of our concerns?” asked another resident, Maureen Houston. “We recognise the need for housing but 92 people in one building is an overload,” she said. The Toukley residents are also demanding clarity on the demographic make-up of those to live in the boarding house.
A Wyong based company will duplicate its production line, helping to boost its capacity and meet the growing demand, thanks to the NSW Government’s Regional Job Creation Fund. See page 21
Education
A passion for their art and a commitment to an artistic career is the common thread running through the 26 artists who received grants recently. Page 27
Continued page 4
Puzzles page 19
It all starts with spirit spiritsuper.com.au Advice on Spirit Super is provided by Quadrant First Pty Ltd (ABN 78 102 167 877, AFSL 284443) and issuer is Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718), the trustee of Spirit Super (ABN 74 559 365 913). Read the PDS at spiritsuper.com.au before making a decision.
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