The once-friendly relationship between Wollongong and Shellharbour councils has been frosty for months in the wake of the NSW Government’s merger proposal.
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But new court action – lodged by Wollongong against its southern neighbour – is a sure sign the forced marriage has hit breaking point.
On Friday afternoon, Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba expressed “shock” at being summoned to the Land and Environment Court over a subdivision at Calderwood.
“Taking us to court … is shocking to me, especially when the Lord Mayor of Wollongong recently accused us of wasting ratepayer money for appealing the proposed merger of our councils in court,” she said.
The controversial Calderwood land release – which will eventually house 4800 homes between Dapto and Albion Park – falls partially in both council areas, with roughly two-thirds of it in Shellharbour.
In 2010, both councils unsuccessfully fought the Lend Lease development in court. Shellharbour council has now approved plans for a 279-lot estate within the larger development.
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said his council had been “forced” to take legal action in an effort to “correct” this consent, to include conditions which required the developer to contribute towards the costs of upgrading West Dapto roads.
Wollongong council has calculated these contributions at $8233 per dwelling – a total of about $2.2 million – to offset upgrading Yallah and Marshall Mount Roads.
“They’ll be using our roads and access through Marshall Mount and we believe Lend Lease should be contributing towards that infrastructure,” Cr Bradbery said.
He said Shellharbour had allowed the development to go ahead without consultation with Wollongong, despite implications for Wollongong ratepayers.
“We have no choice, otherwise our ratepayers will be subsidising a development in Shellharbour,” he said.
“And ultimately, when the merger takes place, both councils will have to find the money for this infrastructure, so I think it’s shortsighted on behalf of Shellharbour council.”
But Cr Saliba claimed Wollongong was using the court case as a “stalling tactic”.
“We believe we have followed the conditions of the State Government concept plan approval and worked with the developer to ensure that this residential development meets the needs of the community and provide the necessary infrastructure to support our residents.”
A directions hearing is on in the Land and Environment Court on September 2.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
