A DECISION regarding a contentious subdivision at Jamberoo has been deferred in order to seek further legal advice.
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A 7.8-hectare Wyalla Road property, located near the Allowrie Street roundabout is proposed to be subdivided by Peter Taranto’s Huntingdale Developments to include 30 Torrens title housing lots, restricted to those aged 55 and older, and 26 detached residential housing lots.
A neighbouring property will supply another 11 residential lots.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the majority of Kiama councillors voted to seek further legal advice in relation to the development being outside the established village boundaries of Jamberoo, as defined in the Illawarra Regional Environmental Plan No 2.
Council’s director of environmental services Phil Costello said advice from the Department of Planning and Environment was that this inconsistency was of a minor nature justified by the Illawarra Regional Strategy of 2006 and the Kiama Urban Strategy of 2011.
Kiama Mayor Brian Petschler said most councillors wanted to be cautious after contrary legal advice was presented by opponents to the project.
Councillors Warren Steel and Mark Way opposed a deferral.
Cr Steel said the legal objection was ‘‘something of a furphy’’, or delaying tactics.
“I believe this is a blessing; in my opinion, Jamberoo as a town is dying,” he said.
“This (development) is a saviour… The quicker this one goes ahead the better it is for the town of Jamberoo.”
Cr Way said reviving Jamberoo business and the township was essential.
“I tend to think that those against will continue be against it no matter what… I think that we really should be moving along with this matter.”
Wyalla Road resident Reg Curnow expressed concern that the whole justification for the development of the area was the seniors’ component, yet 65 per cent of the area would be standard residential lots.
Questions were raised why the seniors’ component was listed for the third stage of the release area, with prime residential lots to be subdivided in the first two stages.
“I think they’re (the Jamberoo community) disappointed that the original intent for the development isn’t really being satisfied,” he said.
“It really is now a residential subdivision.”
Conversely, Phil Lewis of the Jamberoo Valley Ratepayers & Residents Association said there is a general feeling in Jamberoo that this development was needed for the township.
“I believe that opponents of this development… Will bring up any matter in any effort to stop or slow the development process,” he said.
Cr Petschler said council had been informed that infrastructure for the seniors’ component would need to be in place for the second residential stage to go ahead.
He said the matter would return to the council once legal advice was received, and likely be addressed at the February or March meetings.