The Berrigan Shire Council has given a major housing development the green light, despite concerns over existing infrastructure and services.

Councillors passed a motion to approve the development application of a 323-dwelling housing estate located at Burma Rd, Tocumwal, at a meeting of council on Wednesday, July 16.

Speaking in favour of the motion, Councillor Matthew Hannan said he believed the development would enhance the economy of the local shire.

“And [it] will also add to the tourist attractions that we’ve developed over a period of time,” he said.

“We have a lot of small businesses that have established themselves or have just established themselves in Tocumwal, and I believe a development like this will further sustain their businesses in the community.”

Cr Katie Ngatokoa added her voice in favour of the motion.

“I think the perceived fear is that it’s all going to happen at once, and we don’t have the services to support it,” she said.

“But I think the fact it is actually a staged development gives us the opportunity to grow with the development, as opposed to trying to fend it off because it’s all happening at once.”

The motion to approve the application was carried with the support of councillors Hannan, Ngatokoa, Renee Brooker, Renee Paine, Catherine Healy and Julia Cornwell McKean.

Councillors John Stringer and Sharon Dennis were the only votes against the motion.

Cr Stringer said there were a few things he took issue with over the application.

“It’s not going to get my vote, no matter what. It’s just wrong for the area — completely,” he said.

“I can’t go to the golf course without people jumping all over me about this.

“It’s not going to attract young families. It’s going to attract older people, like myself, and we need to attract young families, if the town is going to survive and grow.”

Cr Stringer also raised concerns about the impact of the housing estate on the future of the nearby Tocumwal Aerodrome, arguing that residents of the proposed estate may eventually organise to close it down due to noise complaints.

“Once you put a housing estate in there, and 300 people joining together to form a group, they’re going to come at it,” he said.

“We’ve done nothing to protect the airport, and that is a major part of Tocumwal.”

The application was for a 29-lot subdivision at 32 Burma Rd, Tocumwal.

Alongside 323 dwellings, it included plans for internal roads, recreation areas and communal facilities.

Council’s agenda notes that 29 submissions were received through the NSW Planning Portal after the DA exhibition opened on the public portal in March.

Of those submissions, 27 objected to the application, while only two were in support.

Cr Hannan addressed Cr Stringer’s arguments.

“I would like to argue hell and a handbag to anybody that wants to build near an airport and then wants to think that they can shut the airport,” he said.

“I take the point that there’s some existing infrastructure that Cr Stringer has raised, but at the end of the day, if you’re going to develop and live near an aerodrome, you understand fully that it is an operational aerodrome. We’ve been getting complaints about activity near that aerodrome for the last 25 years, and at the end of the day, it is a functional airport.”

Cr Dennis, who joined Cr Stringer to vote against the motion, outlined some of the concerns she had heard from residents.

“If you’re looking at putting two people in each house, that’s 600 people. That’s a 10 per cent increase in the population,” she said.

“And although you’ve said it’s staggered, it’s still an increase, it’s still a cost on services, there’s been nothing about the cost of the sealing of the road and what that is to the council cost as well.”

On January 6, the proposed housing estate was unveiled on the Club Tocumwal Facebook page.

In the post, club chief executive Paul Gemmill wrote that Club Tocumwal had partnered with the MHE Development Group to develop the land bordering its Presidents golf course at the northern end of the facility for a combination of residential subdivision lots and over-55s lifestyle living.

“An exciting opportunity for lovers of golf and the beautiful river town of Tocumwal is here in 2025,” the post reads.

On its website, the MHE Development Group wrote the planned village will incorporate 324 contemporary homes on verdant tree-lined avenues with pockets of open parkland.

“The modern, central Community Building will house communal state-of-the-art leisure facilities,” the site reads.

“Located close to the Tocumwal town centre and all of its amenities, the site is well-positioned to take advantage of all that the region has to offer for a complete tree change. The total site size is 21 hectares and the new Village is planned for release in 2025 (subject to Council approval).”

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Tuesday, 8th August 2023

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