ABOUT INGENIA
Ingenia is an ASX listed company with a market capitalisation of $1.9bn. It describes itself as a ‘leading Australian property group that owns, operates and develops a growing portfolio of lifestyle and holiday communities across key urban and coastal markets.’
Its portfolio includes Ingenia Lifestyle, Ingenia Holidays, Ingenia Gardens and Ingenia Rental.
Ingenia Lifestyle say its developments provide ‘quality affordable homes to suit different lifestyles and pursuits of downsizing Australians’. There are 17 Ingenia communities in QLD, NSW and VIC.
Nearby Ingenia communities can be found in Woolgoolga and South West Rocks.
South West Rocks includes 110 dwellings, a community clubhouse, a swimming pool, a library, a BBQ area and onsite management.
Residents own their homes in these communities. They do not own the land. They lease the land on which the home is located. Residents do not pay council rates or stamp duty. On completion, they usually become gated communities, not open to the public.
The communities are targeted at the over 55s. The average age of residents in Ingenia communities is 67.
Photographs courtesy of Ray Fowke
ABOUT INGENIA LIFESTYLE’S PROPOSAL
Ingenia Lifestyle is proposing a new major development in Scotts Head – with 255 dwellings. The location is just outside Scotts Head village, and access will be via Scotts Head Road. The site address is 11 Ocean Ridge Drive, Way Way.
The public exhibition period for the Ingenia development application closed on 31st August 2022.
Map Source: Ingenia Community Consultation website
The masterplan
This is the masterplan of the proposed development, taken from the Statement of Environment Effects appendix to the DA.
3D AERIAL VIEW OF PROPOSED SITE
While all plans are in their concept stage at the moment, an indicative 3d aerial image of the proposed village is provided in the Statement of Environmental Effects appendix to the DA.
COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSAL
- If the proposal goes ahead the local population could increase by up to 64% in a very short time period.
- This population increase will put already under-pressure medical services under even more pressure. Many local GPs are currently working on a closed book basis.
- The increase in dwellings will put pressure on the existing water/ sewerage and roadway infrastructure.
- There will be significant increases in traffic – with the development allowing for 641 vehicles – putting pressure on traffic flow, parking availability in the Village and at the beach, and creating pedestrian risks.
- Most of the cost of mitigating these impacts, and providing infrastructure, will have to be picked up by existing ratepayers.
- See the Nambucca Valley Council Business Papers of 13th January, 2022, item 9.9, about the financial implications of these types of development:
https://nambucca.nsw.gov.au/bps/Open/2022/01/CO_13012022_AGN_1181.PDF - It does not address local affordable housing challenges, and is targeted at existing, affluent, over-55 homeowners seeking to downsize; it will not be accessible to young families, young workers or over-55s on lower incomes.
- The proposed site is at the point where Scotts Head Road was most impacted by previous floods.
- Bushfire is a key risk to the site; as is the challenge of evacuating up to 510 over-55s in an emergency event.
- There are concerns about the impact of the estate on Aboriginal cultural heritage, and on native vegetation and wildlife.
- Scotts Head appears to be the smallest town Ingenia has ever proposed to develop a manufacture housing estate in; other locations have been larger and more capable of absorbing the additional population.
- For more information of the impacts of these types of developments see this article: https://theconversation.com/what-are-manufactured-home-estates-and-why-are-they-so-problematic-for-retirees-145752
IS IT A ‘DONE DEAL’?
No.
The Development Application has been lodged with Nambucca Shire Council.
Public comments have closed on 31st August 2022 and all 574 submissions have to be considered.
Council is now preparing its assessment report for the Northern Regional Planning Panel. It is the Panel – not Council – that are the decision-makers for the proposal
There will also be opportunities for community members to appear at a hearing organised by the Panel. We will share information about this process and meeting dates once available.
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Contact Us
PO Box 400
Macksville NSW 2447
E: savescottshead@gmail.com