The planned construction of two shade structures on the Shoal Bay foreshore has been slammed by a group of adjacent property owners who believe their waterfront views will be impacted.
The pavilions are part of a broader upgrade, which includes a new amenities block, shared path, furniture and landscaping, that the council has been working on over the past few months.
But the recent pouring of concrete slabs for the structures raised the eyebrow of property owners who were either not aware they were being installed or how big they were going to be.
A community petition calling for the council to delay installing the pavilions, which will impact some residents and businesses' million-dollar water views, has garnered 200 signatures.
The petition calls for the council to consider alternatives to the 36 square-metre roofs and for it to "show contextual impact" by presenting a visual impact statement and concept images.
Previously there were two picnic tables with iron-roofed shade structures of a similar area overhead.
One first-floor apartment resident said the council hadn't considered how the structure would impact sightlines at different levels.
"The roof will go up 2.5 metres on the [road] side and 3.1 metres on the water side. That cuts that park [view] out and protrudes up into our water view," he said. "Ground floor has a shelter in front of them instead of the water and headlands uninterrupted, first floor has a blob and the second floor has an even bigger blob ... we can understand the need for shade, but what's wrong with reducing it a metre each end?"
Multiple apartment owners along Shoal Bay Road have expressed their discontent about the consultation council carried out.
Documents on the council's website about the works project only feature an overhead satellite image with notes to what is proposed and small representations of the structures to be installed.
There is no ground-level visual representation.
But the council has defended its consultation process, saying it had sent a newsletter to residents, ran an online survey, held info sessions, engaged the community association and more over the past year.
"We received very little feedback about the shelters during the consultation process - the main feedback was that there needed to be more shady areas," it said.
"These are standard shelters that are being installed all over Port Stephens."
The council acknowledged some views would be impeded but said it "must also take into account the overall benefit of these improvements to the broader community".
Cr John Nell (ALP), who has been on council 34 years and will bow out in September, said no one was "entitled to a view" but it seemed "a bit insensitive" to have the pavilions "right in front of a unit block". "All of a sudden it's blown up," he said. "As a ward councillor I've never been consulted on it. We'll have to wait until it's all properly installed but if it's not good, it's going to be costly."
The matter will be raised at next week's council meeting.
