POLL: Liberal councillor Bede Crasnich has taken aim at suggestions from Wollongong Council staff that the latest proposed land release at West Dapto should be put on hold, labelling the recommendation ‘‘short sighted’’.
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Councillors are due to vote at a meeting on Monday night on whether to finalise a land rezoning proposal for approximately 1000 hectares of land at Yallah and Marshall Mount, which would pave the way for up to 4,000 new homes.
The council report, prepared by planning manager Renee Campbell, says providing the required road upgrades, parks and community buildings for the area would cost at least $180 million (but could extend up to $213 million if councillors voted in favour of additional widening on one of the roads set to be upgraded).
Mrs Campbell says compulsory infrastructure payments from developers - currently capped at $30,000 per lot - would provide the council with up to $120 million, leaving a shortfall of about $60 million, which could fall to ratepayers to fund if government money wasn’t sourced.
The report also notes the shortfall could increase if housing numbers don’t reach the 4,000-lot capacity.
Mrs Campbell has recommended councillors hold off on advancing the rezoning proposal until the NSW Government ‘‘determines how the shortfall in funding...will be met’’.
However, Cr Crasnich said he would urge his fellow councillors to endorse the plans, claiming they owed it to Yallah and Mount Marshall residents who had been waiting years for the rezoning to take place.
‘‘This has been going on for over a decade and I for one would like to see it [rezoning and development] get off the ground as soon as possible,’’ he said.
‘‘I believe as time goes on, funding will come - this state government knows what it’s doing when it comes to infrastructure and I don’t believe we will be left in the lurch.’’
Cr Crasnich conceded that committing to the proposal without secured funding would take a ‘‘leap of faith’’ from the council but said not doing so would be short sighted.
‘‘I understand people’s concerns about funding, but if we don’t allow the development to start now then when will it begin?’’ he said.
‘‘There will be funding opportunities in the future, and from my point of view we should be showing the government we’re ready to go as soon as those opportunities become available.’’
*Upgrade Yallah Road and Marshall Mount Road (between Marshall Mount creek and Yallah Road) from two lanes to four; replace three culverts with bridges $6 million
*Improvements to Marshall Mount Road (between Yallah Road and Huntley Road) but kept as a two-lane road. $10million*
*Build a new, four lane road between the Yallah/Marshall Mount Road intersection and Avondale Road. $52.5million
*Create a new link road between Marshall Mount Road and Yallah Road that bypasses the village centre. $34million.
*7.7 hectare recreation area. $5.35million.
*Local park. $1.5million
*2km of cycleways. $2.3million
*Land acquisition for drainage and a community centre. $6.95 million
*Community centre. $4.3million
●Council staff have also included estimated costs of upgrading this part of Marshall Mount Road to four lanes. The $48.6 million price tag would place the total cost of the infrastructure requirements for the precinct at $213million.
