ENGADINE CENTRE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING UNIT

SUTHERLAND SHIRE COUNCIL

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CONTENTS

BACKGROUND 3SUBURB PROFILE 3STRATEGY 3TOWNCENTRE + CONTEXT MAP 4BUILT FORM 5PUBLIC DOMAIN 9CONECTIVITY 11

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BACKGROUND The planning process for the Engadine Centre reflected a fundamental desire to actively engage the local community in planning decisions made for the area. This process helped to establish the long-term vision and identified issues to be addressed by this Development Control Plan (DCP). Before preparation of the DCP a long and active consultation program was carried out with the area’s local community. The method adopted by Council to inform the community was to prepare a detailed exhibition of the planning issues facing the area. The Engadine Ideas Exchange (The Exchange) focused on the development of a community vision that: • identified the main issues and problems facing the area, • provided an understanding of the impacts these issues will have

on residents, businesses and other stakeholders, • established a forum to discuss a range of potential solutions to

these issues. In total, The Exchange resulted in a consultation program involving in excess of 200 people. The level of interest in the strategy and development options for certain areas of the Engadine Centre varied between a general interest in concepts and ideas to more specific discussion and the sharing of ideas for a specific property.

Overall, the consultation phase revealed the key priorities of the community. These are tabled below:

• Engadine Centre should remain a family orientated, urban village environment;

• that development should generally not exceed three storeys in height;

• better traffic management to cater for future development and to minimise congestion;

• improve and strengthen Engadine’s connection with the Royal National Park;

• the need to mandate Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) principles for all development;

• retain and embellish existing open space and identify areas for future open space;

• ensure underground car parking is provided for all residential flat development;

• additional public car parking is needed in centralised locations;

• enhance pedestrian access and cycle connectivity throughout the commercial centre and surrounding residential areas.

• maintain the existing community facilities with the opportunities to encourage more public domain space for key sites in the centre;

• retain existing land for industrial related purposes.

SUBURB PROFILE The suburb of Engadine is located in the south-western part of the Sutherland Shire. It borders the suburbs of Heathcote, Barden Ridge, Yarrawarrah and the Royal and Heathcote National Parks. The Illawarra rail line serves the suburb giving it direct access to the greater Sydney region. The Princes Highway, which runs to the east of the town centre, also provides important regional links to other parts of Sydney and Wollongong. Engadine’s development has followed a traditional pattern with the town centre expanding from the transport node of the railway station and surrounding residential areas of Yarrawarrah, Woronora Heights and North Engadine. Residential housing in Engadine ranges from low density development of single dwellings, some of which is in environmentally sensitive areas linked to bushland, to medium density residential flat buildings which border the urban centre. Engadine’s town centre is a mix of traditional and planned retail development, a small industrial precinct and a wide range of community facilities. Further expansion of Engadine is curtailed by the constraints of topography and the National Parks. The suburb is sited along the main ridge between the Woronora and Hacking Rivers. This relatively flat ridge top gives way to steep declines that run down to the rivers to the East and West of Engadine.

STRATEGY The draft development control plan seeks to build upon the extensive community consultation initiatives that have been undertaken in Engadine over the past few years. This community visioning approach has identified the varying expectations of Engadine’s many stakeholders and helped to formulate a shared vision for Engadine. The translation of that vision into action will be guided by the strategies of the draft development control plan and through continued partnerships with resident’s, business operators, and owners. The concept of an Urban Village is one that has been suggested on numerous occasions during consultation with the community. The urban village concept is about improving the quality of life for residents by having a mix of housing types, local employment opportunities, community facilities, safe and attractive public spaces and good public transport within walking distance. Urban village principles are about meeting the housing needs of the community, while safeguarding the identity of the area and supporting the economic development of the centre. In developing the vision of Engadine as an urban village, the following core elements will be incorporated into the draft development control plan: Place The planning of an accessible town centre that is safe, welcoming and inclusive with an active public domain and good transport links. People The enhancement of the economic viability and vitality of Engadine through an increased housing choice within the town centre. Partnerships Strengthening partnerships with retailers and owners to achieve a compatible mix of commercial uses in the centre and to initiate future centre management strategies.

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TOWN CENTRE + CONTEXT MAP This development control plan applies to the Engadine Centre as defined by the red colour on the map below.