Homes bid ‘favoured’

Kim Waters
Council officers helped a developer write a controversial planning application to rezone land at Drysdale, according to residents.
Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association’s Patrick Hughes labelled the assistance as “sneaky” and “unfair”.
Council this week approved Urban Land Development’s application for up to 280 blocks to go before an independent panel.
The company wants to develop a site bounded by Clarendon and Murradoc roads and Princess and Woodville streets.
Mr Hughes said Urban Land Development was within its rights to seek council assistance on the application but believed it could tip City Hall favour toward the company.
“Obviously it’s legal but I don’t think it’s equitable,” he said.
“It’s interesting that council resources are being used to help the developer but not the community.”
“If the developers have collaborated with council to write up the application then it seems like the developers will have an unfair advantage.”
Residents sent dozens of submissions against the application to City Hall.
Princess Street resident Phillip Bryant said the application reflected how Drysdale’s rural living atmosphere was being “systematically destroyed”.
“They just want to plonk 300 houses down here without any thought to amenities,” he said.
“There’s no way the infrastructure will cope. Our schools are full to capacity, the two petrol stations are always overcrowded and if you go to the supermarket on a pension day you may as well take a packed lunch.”
Mr Bryant said council’s support was just a “grab for rates”.
Urban Land Development’s three-page submission confirmed the company had a “substantial amount of dialogue” with council on wording in the application.
Director Ross Closter defended council assistance, saying there was “no point” submitting a rezoning amendment that failed to “address the right things”.
“Council worked with us to make sure we addressed any problems,” Mr Closter said.
“It was important we understood the requirements, so we’ve been consulting with council on all the key issues.
Councillors also approved a separate Drysdale Clifton Springs structure plan amendment to go before an independent panel.
The amendment included rezoninge land bound by High, Eversley and Princess streets to Business Zone One and rezoning a regional community cultural hub site to Special Use Zone, which would exempt community users from permit requirements.