The Stop the Hub community group estimates conditions placed on the approval of the Shellharbour City Hub development have added at least $2million in costs to what is currently a $57million project.
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Stop the Hub convener Dianne Quinlin said to put that into perspective, Shellharbour City Council recently sold the former council chambers and administration building at Warilla for $2million.
‘‘What was a folly is now an even more expensive folly,’’ Ms Quinlin said.
On Monday the southern Joint Regional Planning Panel approved the development application for the city hub, but not before imposing some strict conditions relating to flood mitigation works and car parking on the project.
As a result the council will need to make room for 24 additional car spaces within the development before consent is granted.
Shellharbour Council general manager Michael Willis said it was ‘‘premature’’ for anyone to speculate on the impact on the project budget or how specific works may be carried out.
‘‘We have an expert team who are experienced in projects of this size and nature, and they will provide professional advice,’’ Mr Willis said.
“This [approval] is a welcome step forward for this significant project.’’
Mr Willis said the council would work through each condition to determine how the hub design might need to be modified.
‘‘With any development approval there is likely to be conditions, and we will now look at the best approach to meeting each condition.’’
Mr Willis said the council had made it clear that a final decision on proceeding with the hub would be made by the elected councillors, subject to funding certainty for the project.
The Stop the Hub Group said the extra car spaces would need to be supplied by either by blasting further into the rock base or by altering the architecture of the administration building.
Shellharbour councillor Kellie Marsh believed the extra cost would be closer to $2.5million, which would be covered by the sale of more council assets.
Ms Quinlin said that at the same time as the Warilla administration building was sold, the neighbouring Warilla library was also sold for $2million.
‘‘Citizens are now paying $147,000 leasing costs for the Warilla Library with the cost of a replacement unfunded, to be built at an unknown location, in an even more uncertain time frame,’’ Ms Quinlin said.
‘‘The vast majority of the citizens of this city think the City Hub is a waste of money...the bureaucratic process that has permitted the City Hub to continue is an indictment of this process and local government.’’
