A PLANNING proposal to rezone 42 Fullerton Cove Road, Fullerton Cove is in early stages.

This proposal aims to rezone the land to suit a neighbourhood centre, with neighbourhood supermarket, for local day to day retail convenience and services within the Fern Bay area.

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This proposal also states that it will protect and manage biodiversity values and flood prone land.

Many local groups on social media are spreading discussions of other alleged proposals, however Port Stephens Mayor Ryan Palmer has silenced this.

There is currently no land zoned in Fullerton Cove or Fern Bay for neighbourhood shops, however a rezoning request was lodged at 42 Fullerton Cove Road, Fullerton Cove in 2020.

“This rezoning is still at an early stage of the process and is yet to be publicly exhibited.

“No other development proposals have been lodged with Council for commercial development in the area,” Mr Palmer said.

The proposal’s goal is to rezone a 6.7 hectare site at 42 Fullerton Cove Road from RU2 Rural Landscape to B1 Neighbourhood Centre and E2 Environmental Conservation to enable the development of a neighbourhood supermarket and centre.

Port Stephens Council has identified three options to achieve the objectives of the planning proposal being: develop land already zoned B1 Neighbourhood Centre at Seaside Estate (500-600 metres east of the site); rezone the Stockton Residential Centre for a new town centre; or rezone the subject site and back zone the B1 Neighbourhood Centre zoned land at Seaside Estate.

Caitlin Elliot (Department of Planning, Industries and Environment Manager – Central Coast and Hunter Region) and Dan Simpkins (Department of Planning, Industries and Environment Director of Central Coast and Hunter Region Planning and Assessment) stated in a public report that, “Council’s preferred approach is to rezone the subject site, being approximately 2.5hato B1 Neighbourhood Centre and rezone the remaining land to be zoned E2 Environmental Conservation to reflect the environmental characteristics of the site.”

For more information about the proposal, which is currently in the pre-exhibition phase, visit https://pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ppr/pre-exhibition/42-fullerton-cove-road-fullerton-cove.

By Tara CAMPBELL