Dear Sir/Madam
I have attached references to two clauses of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act in relation to Community land adjacent to Duval High School campus to which ARC is planning to rezone to operational and sell. I am no expert on legislation but at first glance it appears to me that Council does not have the ability to dispose of the land for its redevelopment property potential as proposed given the specific criteria stated in the legislation, ie Size, Shape, Topography, Location and Access.
Unfortunately Council has never “developed” the land to its potential as recreational space for the locals who live in the estate developed and gifted the land in accordance with the development consent, by former mayor Claude Cainero some 30 or so years ago.
Further the NSW Department of Planning projections for the population growth of Armidale are less than 1% per annum therefore Councils assertion of urgent need for private market driven housing stock is somewhat of a furphy. Social and affordable and correctly located housing is what is needed and a great location for such would be the former Kellys Transport site in Taylor Street which has remained undeveloped and unsold for many years. The Duval area is significantly isolated for social and affordable housing for tenants who don’t own vehicles. These matters were highlighted by the ABC recently on sites near Melbourne in particular and would serve as a warning to ARC and Homes North in their considerations.
https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/lga1993182/s32.html
https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/lga1993182/s45.html
Regards
Steve Finch
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