Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic Space

Personally I am very much in favour of the proposed Cultural and Civic Space. I think it will enliven the CBD and will provide much needed upgraded facilities for both the residents and the council workers.
I am also speaking on behalf of the many new settlers in our city, currently refugees from Iraq and Syria. These people all live in the central area of the city, close to the shops and the TAFE, where I work as an ESL teacher. They desperately need access to the facilities a centrally located library will provide.

All major existing Australian Arts Precincts have common approaches inclusive of Avenues of Trees, Park lands and Garden surrounds; with Harbour or Lake backdrops. Creating the scenic, inviting experience one equates with community facilities.
1. I propose the existing Council Building be developed inclusive of new Chambers, commercial and community spaces suitable for central Coffs Harbour business and economic strategies necessary to manage on going residential developments in the greater Coffs Harbour region.
2. The Library can expand in the building it occupies with the gallery at it's present location. The existing library is ideally located for easy access by young families and all members of society, school and community groups with its close proximity to medical, educational, state and sporting facilities and transport options.
3. An Arts Centre and Cultural Hub should offer unique opportunities to capture funding and continued patronage, both local, national and international. Coffs Harbour has this in abundance if development is considered. Lets not act in haste and repent at our leisure.
4. One option is to align with State Transport to enclose the Coffs Train station with a three storey " Hanging Gardens " development towards Jordan Esplanade inclusive of a station platform shopping and food mall, tourist accommodation and an Arts Auditorium, Gallery and other installations suitable for conference facilities. With roof gardens and esplanades leading to the jetty, walls, beaches and environs.
5. Another proposal is to move the show ground to a suitable rural location ie Orara , Glenreagh or Nana Glen, giving rural residents better access in the greater Coffs Clarence region for their public events. The existing Coffs showground could become an extension of the Botanical Gardens with a pedestrian bridge access over the creek into an Arts Precinct. The existing Creek walks and parkland could all be enhanced with waterside installations and pedestrian access on the 11 kilometre circuit leading into a park and gardens surrounded Arts and Cultural development on the present showground. Finally, with future State Transport upgrades a light rail from Woolgoolga to Nambucca would greatly assist tourism growth by extending resort accommodation and catering for residential transport into the city; easing the limited parking available.
The present proposal with a car park and concrete outlook offers nothing more than a future drab sooty disappointment.
Worse still, the existing design equates to a 1950 Shipping terminal and is visually almost identical to the exterior of the Plaza shopping mall.
Neither image inspires thoughts of the Arts, Culture or the riches life can offer our population and region.

Kind Regards,
Lesley Davison

Please find attached my thoughts on the current proposal for the Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic Space

As a Coffs Harbour Rate payer I am totally against this project.

• The original consultation process was flawed and the designs were changed so many times. Originally we were under the impression that it was to be a cultural centre for performing arts.

• The final concept design was not published widely until the final design. This did not include a performing Arts Centre and now had Council offices included. The original Council office building was planned to allow for expansion from its beginning and so doesn’t need such a huge expense spent on it. The Library and Art gallery can be expanded with a new building at a much lower cost.

• The Council in their final vote were locked until the mayor Denise Knight put in her casting vote. The Councillors knew from the outset that this was a very controversial project, as there had been so much backlash when the final design was suddenly published widely.

• Mayor Denise Knight continued to promote this project on the Media as well as sending out expensive flyers to all residents and full page newspaper advertisements. This was a campaign to try and convince the council ratepayers that it would not increase their rates.
How much of the ‘contingency’ money was spent on this self-promotion?

• The huge total cost of $76.52 million for the Project is supposedly coming from selling off the council buildings and assets plus a $46 million loan.

• This means the ratepayers WILL lose out as eventually the money from the buildings AND the repayments for the loan will not be available for future Council works and will mean an increase in rates in the future.

I am hoping that Council will finally realise that the project supporters are in the minority. Unfortunately by the time the next council election comes around there will have been so much money already spent on this that a change in Councillors may mean the ratepayers will still lose out.
I am hoping for common sense to prevail and for this project to be rejected completely.

Mary Bryant
24 Shearer Dr Woolgoolga 2456
[email protected]

The plans for the cultural and civic centre will not meet the need of the community. The proposed site is far too small for any expansion or addition. It has no performance space. We are desperate in Coffs Harbour for a proper performance stage for the use by all theatrical groups, schools and performing arts schools. I am the owner of a large dance school who has to hire the C.ex each year for our concerts as we have no other venue large enough to hold our performances, this is not appropriate for children or their families for the future. The present plans will congest the town centre and will not offer adequate parking. This project should be moved to a larger site which could also house a theatre in the future. We should be building something that will serve the community for the next 50 years not just a short sited project for the next few years. The plans should not have council chambers or offices included and in my opinion the city's assets should not be sold off to finance this planned building. I strongly oppose the plans.

I object to the proposed Cultural and Civic Space project of the Coffs Harbour City Council on a number of grounds and oppose it's approval to proceed.

1. Access and Amenity: Wrong location?
I believe that a project of this huge expenditure should be situated in location that has the amenity to add to the building's design and architectural features. The current proposal is surrounded by commercial buildings and a multi-level car park in close proximity. Most of Coffs Harbour City Councils' pamphlets, brochures and advertising have attempted to mislead the public's impression by showing the proposed building out of context/situ. Most images show the proposed Cultural and Civic Space in splendid isolation. In fact, it will be closed in and surrounded by near-by commercial buildings and a car park that will detract from its' visual appeal. I would suggest that the vast majority of Coffs Harbour rate payers and residents do not oppose a Cultural Center but feel it would be better situated on City Hill which is earmarked for Cultural development. Transport links already exist (local Bus runs) and others would develop in response to major development at City Hill.

Location subject to possible future flooding? The CBD has in the past been subject to flooding. Coffs Creek which has had major flooding in the past is situated close by. Although the Council has implemented flood mitigation projects to try and alleviate the height of future floods there is no guarantee that flooding will not occur at some future date. Housing development continues to expand in the Coffs Harbour basin area generating more run off from new houses, roads and paths. When built, the new highway bypass will also contribute to increased rain water run-off. The uncertainties of climatic change may also lead to increased flooding in the future. Consequently, is this proposed project guaranteed flood free? If not, there is an additional possible future financial burden for Coffs Harbour rate payers coupled with inconvenience to the public.
2.Access: Car parking and Traffic Congestion.
In the location proposed, the Civic and Cultural Space project will lead to traffic congestion and a shortage of parking spaces in the Coffs Harbour CBD. There is insufficient parking space in the CBD at the moment during peak times. The Council by it's own estimates suggest that the Cultural and Civic Space will attract an additional 400,000 people each year. Where will the tourist buses, additional motor and recreational vehicles (eg., mobile homes, vehicles with caravans) find parking space. The location of the proposed Cultural and Civic Space is in a part of the CBD that is not conducive to an easy flow of traffic, especially if you have motor vehicles of various types and sizes looking for somewhere to park. Not only will you have the traffic generated by the local businesses (eg, CeX Service Club, retail shops, RMS, NRMA, Doctors' Surgeries, Council Swimming Pool, etc), but the additional traffic caused by the proposed Cultural and Civic Space. Grid lock becomes a real possibility between the various sets of traffic lights surrounding the location of the proposed Cultural and Civic space.
3. Economic and Amenity: Misleading information on the proposal by Council?
As already mentioned, most of Council's images misrepresent the context in which the proposed Cultural and Civic Space is located. A true image of the building in situ has not been given. The naming of the project as a Cutural and Civic space I contend, has also mislead the public and more importantly the rate payers of Coffs Harbour. More realistically the project should have been named a Cultural and Council Administration Building project. The inclusion of Council Administration Offices and Council Chambers in the naming of the project would have solicited a lot more earlier objections to the current proposal. Attempts to further mislead the Coffs Harbour rate payers I believe are published in statements by Council that the project "isn't anticipated to result in rate increases or put the Council under financial stress". Does this really mean that Coffs Harbour rate payers can be assured that there will be no further rate increases or services cut in order to meet the financial debt this project will incur. I suspect there will be future rate increases to pay for this or that, not the Cultural and Civic project directly but to fill in the financial short fall in other areas caused by diversion of funds to this project.
4. Economic: Financial viability?
This project will become a burden on rate payers. The fact that it does not include a performance space means that it's income producing potential (eg., by hiring out such a space) is severely limited. The inclusion of Council Administration Offices and Council Chambers I understand makes the proposal ineligible for State and Federal government grants. The Council has stated that it "has successfully managed projects significantly larger than the Cultural and Civic Space Project". However, how many of these significant larger projects relied solely on Council funding. I would suspect that the bulk of the funds for such projects were from State and Federal government grants. If so there was no massive, direct financial burden on rate payers and Council did not have to budget it's own finances to find the large funds involved.
5. Social issues: - Questionable local support for the Cultural and Civic Space Project in its' current form?
Already a petition of 15000+ against the project has been submitted to the NSW State Parliament. Fifty percent of the Coffs Harbour City Councillors voted against proceeding with the Cultural and Civic Space Project in its' current form. The tied vote in Council was broken by the Mayor using her casting vote to not maintain the status quo. As more and more rate payers became aware of the real nature of the proposal (ie., not to include a performance space and instead include Council Administration and Council Chambers) people like myself have opposed the development. So on Social grounds (within Council and in the wider public) the current proposal has been divisive within the Coffs Harbour local area. It is my hope that the NSW Department of Planning and Environment will refuse to approve this application until such time as Council and the rate payers and residents of Coffs Harbour have more time to consider the full impacts (financially, culturally and socially) of this proposal now that it's true nature of the proposal is more widely known.

I am strongly opposed to the development of a Cultural and Civic Space in Gordon street Coffs Harbour. My main concerns are the location, there are other more suitable sites. Parking is a major concern. The expenditure (millions) and loans are another concern. apparently we will not be given any state or federal money for the project because of the inclusions eg council admin and chambers. The existing Council building can apparently be modified to increase office space. The cost of approx $75million is much too high according to the owner of Park Beach Plaza who is building another project in Coffs Harbour.
The mayor denice Knight apparently stated on FM radio that " Only a small Vocal Loud Minority were against it being built" this is totally incorrect and is just the opposite, hardly anyone i speak to is for the project as can be seen by the petition tabled in Parliament. My regard for the Mayor is greatly diminished. She appears to be ignorant of the majority concerns and i can't see her being reelected next year. The council are proceeding with undue haste and i implore the State Government minister to stop this development as we want it to remain a strong National seat and to as a democracy follow the wishes of the majority of the ratepayers.

Attached.

DA objection

I wish to object to the DA application based on a number of issues raised in the EIS.
References to the EIS sections below include:
• impacts are minor??
• Lack of real Community Engagement??
• lack of justification for a new council building??
• qualitative Carparking Parking Assessment??
• unrealistic assumptions in the draft Green Travel Plan??
• lack of real consideration for construction worker vehicles??


The Conclusion of the Executive summary notes impacts are minor – how can that be by constructing a six level building on a streetscape of predominantly one to two levels? Impacts are not ‘minor’ on the overall Council budget.

4.1.6 Community Engagement with Three Concept Designs
Section 6.9 notes that the initial consultation was In April 2016 Council established a Library and Gallery Planning Advisory Group . Further it states that The Council subsequently resolved to endorse the site for a new library/gallery and … to investigate feasibility of other uses of the site including Council office accommodation. So this states that Council decided to include the new council chambers – not community consultation.
I have heard the Mayor speak often of a performing arts space for Coffs Harbour. So when I head of a project called ‘Library and Gallery Planning Advisory Group’ or “cultural and civic space”, I obviously wrongly assumed that this was performing arts – not a new council chambers. So while the proponent has ticked the boxes on consultation the reality has been, in my opinion, misleading.
I note that the ‘consultation’ was by special interest groups and not those who have to pay for this expense – why not directly consult the ratepayers on such a significantly expensive project? In total the EIS notes that there were approximately 5,000 inputs to the ‘consultation’, many of these may be double counted?, yet the 15,000 people objecting to this proposed project via a petition against this proposal have been dismissed by the Mayor and council as a silly minority.

Lack of justification for a new council building
The lack of justification for a new council building is mentioned in section 7.27 which provides no justification for the statement The existing Council Administration centre does not have the capacity to accommodate all of the Councils functions with staff being housed in separate buildings.
Section 1.2 To address the limitations in Council’s current office spaces and Council - however the existing council building was built with the capacity to add another whole floor, so this is not a criteria to construct a new building. Further the ‘consultation’ described above does not say the community wanted a new council building.
The building is predominantly a new council building with Levels 1, 3 4 & 5 are council spaces. Ground and 2 are cultural and civic spaces, which is a small component of the overall building.

7.6.3 Carparking Parking Assessment
This is basically a qualitative analysis and does not take not account the current ‘on-street ‘ parking for the existing library is at the edge of town, yet this proposed project is closer to the centre of town and does not take into account existing parking usage or the removal of 14 parking spaces along Gordon Street (7.6.4.3)
7.6.3.1 a draft Green Travel Plan and detailed in section 7.6.7 does not address the fact that there are areas of Coffs Harbour that are not serviced by buses and the terrain and distance is an impediment to the travel by walking and cycling. A qualitative analysis with no real substantiation. It is not clear of the visitation and usage numbers are based on those that can bus and walk or taken from the wider population of Coffs Harbour that would have to drive private vehicles.
Section 9 of the Traffic Assessment in the appendix is based on an increasing bus patronage from 0.7% to 10% by vague comments suggesting Council may consider initiatives and encourage the establishment of new bus routes. How does this justify the visitor transport mode and the parking strategy? Appendix B of the traffic study also shows the Gordon Street frontage as separately a ‘bus stopping’ and ‘5 minutes parking’ – how can it serve as both functions? Hs this been double counted in the traffic study?
On-Site Contractor parking
7.6.10 If there is no On-Site Contractor parking where do all the construction worker vehicles park? Is there a separate DA for a satellite carpark? Is this costed? There is reference to 85 spaces in the adjacent multistorey carpark for the 155 workers? These numbers do not align and again there is no real details of the current usage of the carpark and that there is capacity for the additional 85 vehicles, noting that there is already and allocation in the carpark for council staff vehicles.

There are my main observations of the deficiencies in the EIS and lack of confidence in the supporting studies to justify the conclusion of minor impacts of what is a major construction project that I believe is not justified by usage or the extravagant cost of the proposed bespoke building.

Regards

I support Coffs Harbour Councils plans for a cultural and civic space in Gordon Street

Please find attached comments from Biodiversity and Conservation Division (in the EES Group).

Regards, Rachel Lonie

30 October 2019


The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
GPO Box 39,
Sydney NSW 2001,

Attention Mr Rodger Roppolo


State Significant Development: SSD 10300
Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic Space Project


OBJECTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION


I refer to the on-site meeting 29 October 2019 with Department staff, myself, Peter Wardman and Grenville Duce.

At that meeting I advised that my objection submission is comprehensive and will not be completed by today, however will be available shortly thereafter.

I confirm being advised the Department would accept a late submission delivered directly to Mr Roppolo, on the basis of my registering my objection online by the time submissions close.

Please accept this notice of my objection, the full particulars and supporting evidence of which will be remitted to the Department at the earliest opportunity.

Sincerely,
AHQ INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED


Christopher Bramley
Director

I support the Coffs Harbour City Council in its Cultural and Civic space project. I am satisfied that the process to date has been open and transparent with many opportunities for the public to learn of the project and to be consulted over the three or so years it has been running. I have provided more detail in my attached submission, a basic summary is below.

The Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic project has the hallmarks of a much-needed public facility.
• The project or similar has been put forward repeatedly over an extended period of time.
• The need for new council, library and gallery facilities is obvious and well documented.
• The public and interested parties were publicly informed and had the opportunity to engage in the planning process.
• Experts in their fields were consulted and the facility planned through a stepped consultation process.
• The project has an element of urban consolidation and renewal.
• The project is centrally located, close to existing and planned transport hubs.
• The project should have a synergistic affect on the surrounding area.
• The project will have a beneficial effect on the social, educational and artistic sectors of the Coffs Harbour community.

All that is needed now is for the Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic project to be completed so that the general public can enjoy and make use of a facility that they have been requesting for many years.

TfNSW Submission - 30/10

See attachment

This project will be making of Coffs Harbour - it has been a long time coming (30+ years in fact) and I have no hesitation in supporting it.

I have had long involvment in the cultural and civic activity of our community and I sincerely believe that it is time Council provided our community with cultural - library, gallery, museum, civic and community facilities that equal our excellent Council provided sporting, airport and Botanic Garden facilities.

The Cultural and Civic Space follows quality urban planning principals and will support local businesses in the City Centre.

The sale of the current Council Chambers and offices - Rigby House, will help fund the project and will also provide an opportunity for developers to create more inner-city housing within walking distance of retail, commercial, banking, medical and other services - as well as the new cultural and civic spaces.

On our current population of approx 76,000 Council will be investing $1000 per person. The average family of 4 buying a home in Coffs would be investing $125,000 per person with no added community value.

This project has been well researched and developed and has had strong community engagement and input over many years.

Sadly there is a very vocal group that have been spreading fear and misinformation about the project.

I believe that due process has been adhered to and this project will certainly support Coffs Harbour as a regional city of significance into the future.

I am happy to speak to this project if required.

Yours sincerely

Jan Strom

Introduction
Arts Mid North Coast (AMNC) wishes to make a submission in support of the Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic Space State Significant Development SSD10300.
Arts Mid North Coast is the peak regional arts and cultural development organisation for the mid north coast region of New South Wales which embraces the six local government areas of MidCoast, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca, Bellingen and Coffs Harbour Councils. With 316,000 residents it is one of NSW’s most populous regions with a remarkable diversity of creative activity and industry.
AMNC is an Incorporated Society with a Management Committee of six representatives appointed by the local Councils and six community members with a range of skills and involvement in arts and culture. One of 14 Regional Arts Development Organisations throughout the State this network plays an important advocacy role for regional issues and with strong links to Regional Arts NSW and Create NSW.
Our Vision for the Region is to ensure the Mid North Coast is a vibrant and diverse region embracing the creation, understanding and appreciation of the arts in fostering economic, community, cultural and environmental opportunities and benefits.
In this we support the vision of The Honourable Don Harwin MLC, Minister for the Arts in his introduction to the NSW Cultural Infrastructure Plan 2025 that:
“Supporting a culture of creativity is essential for New South Wales to succeed, but for culture to truly flourish it needs a home—places where it can be created, shared and enjoyed.”
Our support for the project reflects six key matters relating primarily to need and benefits rather than design:
• The extensive process of consultation undertaken with the community.
• The rigorous process of reports with many included as the appendices of this application.
• The recognition of the need for the project t in a variety of statutory plans and policies.
• The increasing recognition and importance attached to the development of cultural precincts.
• The benefits of multiple uses
• The economic benefits from the proposal resulting from increased attractiveness for not only locals but tourists.
Consultation
The Council engaged the community for input on the proposal in January to March 2018 - on three concepts and February to May 2019 - on the preliminary schematic design. However our involvement on the project indicates much broader consultation on the concept and need for the cultural spaces going back over many years. The adoption in 2017 by Council of Coffs Harbour’s Cultural Policy and Creative Coffs - Cultural Strategic Plan 2017-2022 underlined the central role of arts and culture in Coffs harbour. It also arose from the most extensive public engagement we have seen in our region throughout 2016 both for this Plan and the larger Community Plan as part of the Integrated Planning process. Discussions on the gallery/library /museum were front and central in this extensive consultation process across many channels of communication and public surveys. The overwhelming response supported the need for the cultural spaces and its CBD location.
Research
As well as the foundation of extensive public engagement and consultation the extent of research carried out for this project has been comprehensive and achieved by the engagement of leading consultants and companies. Arts Mid North Coast has worked with these consultants in relation to the cultural spaces and can attest to the veracity of the work undertaken. The number and quality of attachments to the SSD application contradicts any view that the project has not been properly assessed.
Recognition
We note the Coffs Civic Centre is the only facility on the North Coast in the NSW Cultural Infrastructure Plan 2025 Plan with the specific reference to:
Support delivery of the Coffs Harbour Cultural and Civic Space development
It is also recognised in Creative Coffs – Coffs Harbour Cultural Policy and Cultural Strategic Plan 2017-2022 where it notes after extensive consultation:
Our community has told us that quality cultural facilities, precincts and spaces (both built and online) make essential contributions to our region and lifestyle. Council believes it has a vital role to play in providing and promoting cultural and community spaces and precincts for community and visitors. Enhanced and new facilities will also assist, by providing focal points for activity, and raising the quality and range of presentation. The selection of the site and ongoing progress with the new central Library and Regional Gallery CBD project as part of a cultural and civic precinct also bodes well for Coffs cultural future. As well as the proposed improved library, regional gallery and co-working facilities, the provision of a performing arts centre has been consistently raised as desirable by members of the community.
It is then reflected in Strategy 2.4 to
Plan for and construct an upgraded Harry Bailey Memorial Library, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery and digital/co-working space at 23-31 Gordon St and Riding Lane as the core of a Cultural and Civic Precinct.
Other established Plans each with their own consultation process also note in more general terms support for the project including
Principle: Cultural and civic facilities reflect a city’s identity and character and contribute to its unique sense of place. They provide opportunities to foster and showcase local talent and can become a key component of a broader tourism strategy. The closer that a cultural building is the core of the City Centre, the more tourism, commercial and social benefits it will have. Finding: The City Centre civic and cultural facilities are currently sited on the edge of the City Centre. An entertainment centre does not exist. A strategy for the development of a mixed use cultural building at the heart of the City Centre is required.
Cultural Precincts
Much of the above also highlights the importance of developing cultural precincts, especially to create a city heart. On the Mid North Coast we have seen the benefits of that in Port Macquarie with the precinct that has developed around the Glasshouse.
Much support for the Coffs proposal can be found in the NSW Cultural Infrastructure Plan 2025 which notes:
Cultural precincts are a common feature of urban environments across the world. Known variously as cultural precincts, quarters, districts or hubs, there are estimated to be more than 1,000 of these locations worldwide. The degree of planning in the formation of these precincts varies substantially, from entirely new and planned precincts focusing on the clustering of large institutions to unplanned and organically clustered areas of small‑scale cultural activities and communities. The degree of conscious, ‘top‑down’ planning appropriate to produce sustainable and genuinely dynamic precincts has been a matter of significant discussion in recent years
Goal 1 at page 26 notes State Government will
Work with local councils to ensure that the importance of culture as a driver for creating vibrant places is reinforced through updated local planning instruments and strategy development.
People Places
The Coffs CBD Masterplan outlined a number of world leading case studies highlighting mixed uses within such cultural spaces. The NSW Cultural Infrastructure Plan does likewise noting:
In growth areas and newly developed areas, investment in creativity and innovation makes venues and public spaces more attractive for visitors, residents, economic talent and creative industries.
In regional cities or strategic centres outside of metropolitan areas, cultural infrastructure investment has the potential to secure and promote a sense of identity and place while growth or changes occur, expanding the local availability of associated economic activities (such as retail, hospitality and other public spaces) while still serving as an anchor to a broader precinct containing a range of commercial and civic facilities.
Economic Benefits
The social and economic benefits report with the application rightly highlighted the benefits of the project to tourism. Arts Mid North Coast has established a reputation for cultural tourism as recognised by Tourism Industry Awards for the last four years. We believe the benefits will be even greater than the report indicates because of the nature of our tourism on the North Coast.


The World Tourism Organisation indicates more than 50% of global tourism is motivated by a desire to experience culture and heritage. This is confirmed by Destination NSW in its latest Snapshot of Cultural & Heritage Tourism. (December 2017) It is a very important market because it drives yield. For domestic tourists in regional NSW (the Mid North Coast’s major market) domestic cultural tourists stayed 1.4 more nights compared to other travellers and spent more. Other characteristics include that 39.4% are aged 50 to 69; 32.1% travel as an adult couple and females are the greatest visitors to cultural experiences (56.2 % to 43.1% male). These figures are further confirmed by the findings of Museums & Galleries NSW research, Guess who is Going to the Museum which added to earlier research on Galleries. The research findings all correlate strongly to the major markets of the Mid North Coast: the Wanderers; the Visiting Friends and Relatives market and also a growing correlation to the traditional family market where they are increasingly seeking authentic cultural experiences.