FAQs

• E4 Environmental Living: this zone is generally intended for land with special environmental or scenic values, and accommodates low impact residential development 
• R2 Low Density Residential: this zone is intended to be applied to land where primarily low density housing is to be established or maintained. Typically, the zone features detached dwelling houses and low impact development to meet the needs of residents
• E2 Environmental Conservation: this zone is generally intended to protect land that has high conservation values outside the national parks and nature reserve system.

There are two draft documents being exhibited: 

1. Draft Planning Proposal for Ramsgate Estate, Wyee Point

This proposes to change land zoning for the Estate:

• Land within the Estate zoned as E4 Environmental Living is proposed to change to part R2 Low Density Residential and part E2 Environmental Conservation. 
• Land within the Estate zoned as R2 Low Density Residential is proposed to change to E2 Environmental Conservation. 

For a map of the current and proposed zoning, please refer to page two of the draft Planning Proposal.

1. Draft Ramsgate Estate, Wyee Point Area Plan 

The draft Area Plan includes planning controls to guide the provision of roads, water and sewer services, as outlined in the Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2014 (LMLEP 2014).

The draft Area Plan reflects the zoning put forward in the planning proposal. There are three precincts identified in the draft Area Plan. 

• Precincts A and B: identified for future residential development (R2 Zones)
• Precinct C: identified for environmental conservation. (E2 Zone)

For a map of the proposed precincts, please refer to page five of the draft Area Plan.

The planning proposal is considered the best means of facilitating efficient residential development, increasing conservation land and supporting the resolution of a historical paper subdivision.

Ramsgate Estate is a paper subdivision consisting of 70 hectares of undeveloped land. It adjoins the existing residential area of Wyee Point. 

The area is identified on the Urban Release Area Map in the LMLEP 2014. It requires an Area Plan to be adopted by Council before a development application for residential subdivision can be determined for the Estate. 

The draft Area Plan will help resolve the long-term planning issues associated with the paper subdivision and provide controls for the delivery of roads, essential services, bushfire protection and water quality management.

A paper subdivision is the term used to describe land parcels recognised on paper only. Most have no formed roads, drainage, reticulated water, sewer or electricity.

Ramsgate Estate paper subdivision was registered in 1885. It resulted in 608 lots (averaging 400m²) and 12 streets. At that time, there was no requirement to construct essential infrastructure, so most of the lots were created without formed roads, drainage, supply of water, or sewerage. The estate was subdivided separately to surrounding lands, and, as a result, most lots have no legal access.

Since the Local Government Act came into force in 1919, developers have been required to provide essential services (formed roads, drainage, reticulated water, sewer and electricity) to land before the individual blocks are sold.

The draft Area Plan applies the paper subdivision of Ramsgate Estate only.

Please refer to the Subject Land map on page three of the draft Area Plan.

The LMLEP 2014 amendment is expected to be finalised midway through 2022. Construction of homes and services on the site will be subject to development consent. A development application for the construction of homes and services has not been lodged with Council at this stage.

The planning proposal also seeks to reduce the maximum height of building from 8.5 metres to 5.5 metres for land being rezoned to E2 Environmental Conservation. Land proposed to be rezoned to R2 Low Density Residential has a proposed minimum lot size of 450m², and land proposed to be rezoned to E2 Environmental Conservation has a proposed minimum lot size of 40 hectares.

Individual residential lot sizes and dwelling heights would be proposed as part of further development applications and are not included as part of this exhibition.

A map of indicative road access points are outlined on the Ramsgate Estate Structure Plan. Pedestrian and cycling links are also illustrated on the map. 

The Structure Plan reflects the desired urban structure of future development on the site. Actual road connections will be determined as part of any future development application for residential subdivision of the site.

To view the Structure Plan map, see page six of the draft Area Plan.

FTLR Pty Ltd is the major landowner in the estate. Council previously owned land in the residential and conservation precincts. Council resolved to sell the 54 lots in the residential precincts to FTLR Pty Ltd in June 2020 and resolved in February 2021 to close most of the existing paper roads to enable redevelopment.

A development application was lodged to Council by FTLR Pty Ltd in 2018 to consolidate the majority of paper lots and paper roads into the three key precincts, as outlined in the Area Plan. This application is currently being assessed by Council.

Council is also negotiating a voluntary planning agreement to secure the land zoned E2 Environmental Conservation as a biodiversity offset. This land would be transferred to Council as public reserve. This draft Area Plan exhibited aligns with the development application and biodiversity offset negotiations underway.

A second development application would be required to subdivide the Precinct A and B into residential sized lots with a new road network. Council would assess the development application against the Area Plan, which is on exhibition for comment. 

A development application has recently been received by Council for the subdivision of the eastern precinct into 122 residential lots, which are not within the subject land of the proposed rezoning. Council’s assessing officers will consult internally and with external agencies to determine requirements for upgrades. Submissions to this DA can be made during the notification period, which will include affected residents. Notification of the DA is likely to occur within the coming weeks. Documentation can be viewed at Council’s DA Tracker by searching DA/3196/2021.

It is important to note that the DA for the residential subdivision cannot be determined until the preparation of the Ramsgate Estate Area Plan (currently on exhibition). Your feedback on the Area Plan will inform the planning framework that the DA will be determined against.

The existing E4 Environmental Living and R2 Low Density residential zones have minimum lot sizes of 1,250m² and 450m² respectively. Subdivision of the land is already allowed under the LMLEP 2014. Further subdivision of the land for residential purposes in the future will not require a planning proposal, but would require an amendment to the Area Plan.