03/12/2021
Greed and money talks all languages.
❓🏢🏗HOW MUCH PLANNING POWER SHOULD COUNCIL HAVE?🏗🏢❓
The issue has caused a war of words between the mayor and the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.
At the last Council meeting for 2018 - the 10-million dollar residential development, to go on a car park in Terrigal, was rejected.
Council staff had recommended approval, but the development has always attracted criticism from local residents and businesses.
The decision by Councillors to knock back the Church Street development has caused the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce President to see red.
"For no particular reasons these applications are being rejected .. you have to have a more arm's length transparent process to assess these developments on their merits," Chamber President Matthew Wales said.
He argues local politics is getting in the way, and that assessing DA's is bogging down Council.
The State Government is expected to create a Local Planning Panel for the Central Coast which will determine DAs over the value of $5 million, but Council fears this will erode its planning powers.
"It is imperative that Council be able to represent the community and remain as the consent authority for development on the Central Coast," Mayor Jane Smith said.
"Council should embrace it, rather than being hysterical about it," Mr Wales said.
Planning Panels currently determine developments in Greater Sydney and Wollongong.