COWPER Street residents who opposed a nearby apartments development have been cautioned to be “careful what you wish for” by an Albury councillor.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cr John Stuchbery was one of only two councillors who voted last week to over-turn a staff a recommendation to reject the conversion of a former aged care facility into eight two-bedroom apartments.
Developer Niccolo Polo Pty Ltd, as part of its development application, also wanted a variation to council planning guidelines which state three visitor parking spaces must be provided when five to eight dwellings exist on a site has upset residents.
Cr Stuchbery said he suspected the building pre-dated many Cowper Street residents who chiefly opposed the development on the grounds of extra demand being placed on the area for parking.
“It’s always been there and is part of the neighbourhood,” he said.
“It might not be particularly pretty, but through some miracle it hasn’t vandalised or squatted in.
“I do wonder how long that fortunate state of events will be sustained.
“To those opponents of the development be careful what you wish for because you might get it.”
Cr Murray King, who also wanted the development to go ahead, estimated he had driven down Cowper Street 30 times since the development was presented to council and had not seen any more than three cars in the street.
Other councillors including mayor Kevin Mack and deputy mayor Amanda Cohn were critical of the design and lack of green space.
“Looking at the particular design of the development it would appear it is not being done at a high level,” Cr Mack said.
Cr Cohn said if a parking concession was to be made it had to be a “truly beneficial” development” for the city.
“It is terrible from a temperature control point of view and terrible from a stormwater point of view,” she said.
Cr David Thurley said the parking layout within the proposed development would also be problematical to future residents.