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THE TWEED SHIRE
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Volume 1 #15 Thursday, December 4, 2008 Advertising and news enquiries: Phone: (02) 6672 2280 Fax: (02) 6672 4933 editor@tweedecho.com.au adcopy@tweedecho.com.au www.tweedecho.com.au
Pages 14-15
LOCAL & INDEPENDENT
Developer pushes Mur’bah pool open for business ahead with controversial project Ken Sapwell
Construction work on a 264-unit development on a creek-front block at Hastings Point is set to go ahead despite a Supreme Court appeal seeking to overturn consent. Residents, who last month won a long battle to bring in planning controls to protect their unique village character, say developer PDK is taking a big risk by continuing earth and construction works pending the outcome of the case. Local progress association spokesman and lawyer John O’Reilly says the community-funded case has a good chance of success given a recent ruling involving a similar case by the chief justice of the Land and Environment Court. He admits residents are powerless to stop the project, approved under the NSW government’s controversial seniors living policy as an aged facility and advertised as a luxury resort for the over 55s, because PDK is legally entitled to proceed pending the outcome of the appeal .
Consent will be voided But if residents win their case PDK’s consent will be voided and any works deemed illegal under the new height and density controls which the council adopted last month would face demolition. He said PDK had just been ordered to remediate another property where it had begun work on a three-storey building before residents successfully challenged the development in court. PDK spokesman Danny Gillies confirmed that he intends to push ahead with construction, saying al-
though there was a risk his company could lose the case, it was only a slight one. He said he was confident of a win because an aged care facility was badly needed in the community. ‘It’s advertised as a resort because no one wants to move into an aged care home,’ said Mr Gillies, whose assisted living facility will include a medical centre and chemist and 67 aged-care beds.
Contractors, tradies at risk Mr O’Reilly said residents had alerted the developer, his builder and financier to similar cases resulting in demolition and the ensuing potential pain that could be inflicted on subcontractors and tradies. ‘We are very disappointed that they have chosen to ignore our advice but we are prepared to fight this all the way.’ He said it had put a dampener on celebrations over winning a 12-year fight to reduce densities and building heights from three storeys to two in line with other smaller villages, as well as stopping another but smaller three-storey multi-unit project of PDK’s from going ahead. ‘We’re shocked that PDK seems to be ignoring the warning bells following the Council’s refusal of its other development following the community’s win in the Land and Environment Court and the introduction of new controls,’ he said. ‘If we also win this latest case it will end up back in the Council’s lap and there is no way they could legally give it consent under the planning controls introduced last week.
Murwillumbah mum Amelia Collins and her sons Jackson and Riley enjoyed a refreshing dip at the new aquatic centre last Friday. Photo by Jeff ‘Dunking’ Dawson
Murwillumbah locals took to the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre last Friday likes ducks to water. With the official opening over, the doors opened and the crowds poured in for a free sampling of the new swimming pool complex. From l;ate Friday afternoon and throughout the weekend they just
kept coming to enjoy the long awaited experience that is offering state-ofthe-art facilities including a hydrotherapy pool that will be officially opened this week. A crèche is planned to give busy mums and dads an opportunity to participate in some fitness and other programs including aqua aerobics,
group swimming lessons for older adults, tethered swimming and gentle walking. There is also a new café – the Starting Block Café, which is accessible from inside and outside the facility. For more information on the $16m aquatic centre – go and check it out for yourself!
Mayor wants learn-to-swim pool fees cut Ken Sapwell
Tweed Mayor Joan van Lieshout will put her persuasive powers to the test when she tries to convince general manager Mike Rayner to lower the fees charged to schools to use the new aquatic centre at Murwillumbah. Cr van Lieshout says that while continued on page 2 she has no problems with the cost
of family passes, special consideration should be given to wiping or at least greatly reducing the entry fee for students attending learn-to-swim programs. ‘I will be talking to Mr Rayner to see what can be done for the students to ensure they are not priced out of using the pool for essential programs,’ she said.
The proposed review follows an appeal by Murwillumbah East Primary School principal Darren Scott for the Council to reconsider a 45 per cent increase in entry fees. ‘Our concern is that Council now places this wonderful facility out of reach of the majority of the clientele of Murwillumbah and surrounding continued on page 2
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