The 100-lot Rose Hill development near Millfield is one step closer to reality after Cessnock City Council endorsed its planning proposal at last Wednesday night’s meeting.
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The Cessnock Local Environment Plan will be amended so the subject land will be rezoned from RU2 rural landscape to R5 large lot residential, with a minimum lot size of 4000m2 and identified as an urban release area; and a draft development control plan will go on public exhibition.
Steve Meadows, who spoke on behalf of the Communities of the Congewai Catchment Inc. (COCCI) at the meeting, said 500 people had signed a petition against the development.
The environmental impact, traffic concerns and infrastructure problems were among their concerns.
Mr. Meadows said there is no acute housing shortage in the Millfield area; that Rose Hill was an “inappropriate development” and that council should not be bound by the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy.
Cr. James Ryan moved that council reject the planning proposal as there was “no extra demand for the land, it is not in a desirable geographic location and it is against the public interest”.
He described the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy as a “thoroughly discredited planning document” and that the Millfield land had been added in without a credible process of public consultation.
Cr. Morgan Campbell, one of seven councillors who voted for the original recommendation, said he was satisfied with the 4000m2 lot size restriction.
The planning proposal was exhibited from November 13 to December 11, 2013 in accordance with the gateway determination.
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A planning proposal for Black Hill will be placed on public exhibition after a rescission motion was voted down at last Wednesday’s council meeting.
The proposal seeks to rezone approximately 300 hectares of land from RU2 (rural landscape) into a 195-hectare IN1 (general industrial) zone and a 105-hectare E2 (environmental conservation) zone.
The rescission motion by councillors James Ryan, Rod Doherty and Cordelia Troy argued that inaccurate information the level of community consultation, conservation zones and traffic issues had been provided to council.
Mayor Bob Pynsent used his casting vote to declare the rescission motion lost.
Council will host a community consultation meeting about the proposal, and a report on this meeting will be included in the next report that is considered by council.
