RESIDENTS of a street in Bowral have come together to stand up against a development application.
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Martha Street residents have objected to a proposed development of 25 two-storey units with basement car park areas which would share a boundary with Biota Dining and another Martha Street residential property.
A development application to subdivide the land on lot 84 at 18 Kangaloon Road, Bowral, was refused by council staff members in March 2014, but was approved by councillors a few months later in May. A council spokesman said a new subdivision development application was lodged which addressed the reasons it was previously refused and was approved under delegation on May 29, 2014.
Earlier this year an application for the multi-dwelling development was lodged. The land is zoned as medium density residential and under this zoning council's development control plan state council would not grant a multi dwelling development if it did not allow for an "acceptable" level of amenity for residents and neighbours.
Martha Street resident and owner of the adjoining property of the proposed development Gerry Kroon said neighbourhood meetings were held to discuss the "entirely inappropriate development application".
"Everything should be in line of what's already in that street and 25 units with some 9 metres high are totally out of line," Mr Kroon said.
"The development is good for city areas but not this town."
Biota Dining owner James Viles was equally concerned because of its potential impacts on the environment and amenity of Biota Dining guests and residents of the new units.
One of Mr Viles' main concerns was for the pond in front of the Biota Dining restaurant which would be removed if the development went ahead.
"To dig up a pond that has animals living in it and has been a part of this town for such a long time is just not right," he said.
"They're not looking at the carbon and environmental footprint.
"The pond and lawn is right where people get married and we have a massive amount of weddings here annually and I just know they won't book if the development goes through which is detrimental to our business."
The proposed 25 unit development would look down onto the Biota Dining lawn which Mr Viles' said was a popular spot for events.
"It's just greedy trying to put as many apartments in one block of land," he said.
"Who will want to live there when there's a restaurant that operates seven days until 12am every night?"
Larry Partridge lives across the road from the proposed development and said it didn't fit with the existing streetscape.
"It's a gross overdevelopment and it doesn't meet council's requirements in terms of modest development in keeping with surroundings," Mr Partridge said.
Bendooley Street resident Les Vickermam said the development posed privacy, access and visual amenity problems and was "inappropriately subdivided" at an "important junction" of the town.
A council spokesman said the development application was under assessment.