Lake Macquarie City Council has allocated $25 million over the next four years to progress commercial development of the Bath Street site for economic tourism in the latest Draft Operational Plan.
The council-owned site, located at the northern end of the Toronto Foreshore next to the Royal Motor Yacht Club, is set to see a six-storey tourism and residential complex developed if plans go ahead.
The Council has been criticised for their lack of community consultation regarding the site and for the site's exclusion from the Toronto Foreshore Master Plan.
The draft Toronto Foreshore Master Plan cites the need for better access and amenities at recreational areas to create enticing destination points along the Foreshore where publicly accessible shoreline is limited, but council insists on excluding the Bath Street site from this plan.
Suzanne Pritchard from the Toronto Foreshore Protection Group (TFPG) says community views and ideas for the site have not been acknowledged by the council.
"We have made hundreds of comments to date and they have been misrepresented, they have been undervalued and they have been ignored," Ms Pritchard said.
"Toronto has the least amount of public accessible foreshore for any town within the city; we have about 500 metres and council wants to take about 10% of that for a commercial development."
Ms Pritchard said the TFGP wants to see the foreshore land used as a community parkland.
"With recreational facilities to support the community getting together, not excluding them by having private interests purchase high-end apartments."
Lake Macquarie City Council's Draft Operational Plan is open for community consultation and comment regarding plans for the site until the 29th of May.
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| The vacant land between Bath Street and Victory Parade which makes up the "Bath Street site". Photo: Google Maps |
