A rescission motion to stop the development of Iluka Reserve was lost at a Kiama Council meeting on Tuesday night.
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Councillor Neil Riley moved the motion to save the Kiama Downs land, which was supported by Councillor Don Watson.
“Have you ever considered why it is so complicated, so difficult and protracted to have a planning proposal put forward to the state government and put into the gateway so it can enter into an LEP?,” Cr Riley asked.
“I think the reason is to slow us down a little bit, so that we do what we should do rather than what want to do and I think that allows us to examine the facts over fallacy, the community feeling over gut feeling and the chance to think about the consequences of our actions.”
Cr Riley went on to admit he was one of the councillors who signed off on the decision to rezone the land.
“I think I should have done a bit more due diligence, and I’m sorry I made a mistake,” he said.
“Mistakes were made in that first gateway proposal – the state government wrote to us and said there were mapping anomalies and what that meant, was that in the first instance when we said yes, yes, we want to sell it and make money, we forgot we had zoned the tennis court to be residential, but not the clubhouse.
“There have been mistakes made all the way along the line.”
We will be setting such a dangerous precedent, that in the future any reserve in this area can be sold off, because we’ve done it once, we can do it again.
- Cr Neil Riley
Cr Riley believes by selling Iluka Reserve, council is setting a “dangerous precedent for the future”.
“If you and I have taken an oath here, then we have done so on the grounds we will support our community,” he said.
“We are not going to have a happy community thanking councillors for selling off the first reserve in this council.
“We will be setting such a dangerous precedent, that in the future any reserve in this area can be sold off, because we’ve done it once, we can do it again.”
Kiama Downs resident David Connolly has faught to stop the planning proposal and was disappointed with Tuesday night’s result.
“When it becomes apparent what has occurred both openly and behind closed doors, people will realise what has truly been lost,” he said.
“It’s still worth fighting for.”
Following Tuesday night’s meeting, Cr Riley went on to say although it was a bitter struggle, it was worthwhile.
“People now know where I stand and where the other councillors stand on spot rezoning,” he said.
“I see the next job is striving to get the best outcome for the residents – first the repatriation of the remains of the park and then built/urban environment – by the way, that’s the order we should do things…fix the park first, that shows we’re fair dinkum, then sell the land. It will probably help the price too.
“I thank the community for their steadfast opposition to this sell off, I am so sorry we did not prevail.”
In favour: Cr Brown, Cr Watson and Cr Riley.
Not in favour: Cr Westhoff, Cr Sloan, Cr Honey and Cr Way.
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