Height exception requested to fix flats' roof leaks
Roof modifications, which would exceed the maximum permitted height of 8.5 metres by 16.4 per cent, have been proposed for a two-storey residential flat in Booker Bay.
The application for 58 Booker Bay Rd states that the modifications would overcome problems caused by "less than satisfactory building construction, waterproofing and finishes".
"The budget is over $800,000 for remediation, membrane waterproofing, removal, and repair of concrete cancer, and completely coating all external blockwork waterproofing and paint."
The modifications include the installation of 28 solar panels generating 10kW, described as a "solar farm".
The application, prepared by Axiom Solutions Ltd, states: "The development seeks to vary the maximum building height of 8.5 metre by 1.397 metres which represents a departure of 16.4 per cent.
"The length of solar farm roof that breaches the height is 7.6 metres which represents only 14.9 per cent of the overall roof length.
"Compliance with the development standard is unreasonable or unnecessary in the circumstances in this case as the underlying objectives of the control are achieved, despite the non-compliance to the numerical development standard."
The existing building has four units, two on the waterfront and two facing Booker Bay Rd.
Parking is located centrally.
Unit 2 and Unit 4 are partly roofed by a hipped roof and partly by a roof garden.
According to the application, since being built "before 2010", the roof gardens have both been responsible for extensive water egress to all units and have caused "concrete cancer" in the top level slabs.
For Unit 4, it is proposed that one side of the existing hipped roof be converted into a gable and projected over the entire roof garden.
This new gabled roof would also enable space for the installation of solar panels at some future point.
For Unit 2, at the waterfront end of the building, the hip facing the waterfront would be replaced by a gable to avoid an internal gutter and most of the roof garden would be covered by a lean-to solar roof consisting of 28 solar panels.
Shadow diagrams have been provided in the drawings, which appear to show additional shadowing to be minimal.
The application states that several "non sustainable" aspects of the building's original design and limitations in the existing electrical wiring have led to an "inability to respond" to spiralling electricity costs or to provide electric vehicle charging.
It claims that the solar installation and its possible expansion would provide a solution to these problems while at the same time fixing the long-running problem with leaks.
"The unit owner considers the loss of approximately 70 per cent of the roof garden amenity a small price to pay for energy sustainability initiatives and to have sustainable electric vehicle charging."
The application is currently on public exhibition and open for written submissions.
The closing date for submissions has not yet been notified.
SOURCE:
DA Tracker, 7 Jul 2023
DA1125/2023, Central Coast Council