Why the haste councillors?
How absolutely ironic that all Indigo Shire councillors at the November 27 meeting endorsed the recommendation to have Beechworth’s historic precinct considered for National Heritage List recognition (in company with the likes of Old Government House and Uluru) whilst also deferring a decision to permit the Mayday Hills camping park application (citing future heritage protection and master plan consideration concerns), but four of six councillors speedily sacrificed caution to pass the Beechworth tennis court development application?
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Questions to the council planning department’s representative by Mayor Bernard Gaffney (who, along with Deputy Mayor Barbara Murdoch voted against the present permit application) revealed that stormwater treatment and discharge from the 10 residence and internal road estate into the town’s environmentally sensitive Spring Creek is still a surprise package, an ideas-on-paper wish list, not yet passed by the relevant authorities, nor gaining agreement with the subdivision’s direct neighbour whose private property is affected.
Reasons given by councillors James Trenery, Larry Goldsworthy, Diane Shepheard and Sophie Price included “It was inevitable”. Like the “progressive” 24/7 McDonald’s in the Dandenong Ranges’ Tecoma community of similar size I suppose?
No, only if profit-seeking, fly-in-fly-out developers, supported by organisations who choose to sell them community–treasured land succeed. Another reason given, ”Beechworth needs development”. Like Wodonga? Always welcome for businesses but with plenty of vacant land available, why right next to the highly sensitive town precinct hopefully soon to gain National Heritage recognition?
The four councillors backing the application admitted that “concern will be around the style of design” and that “as far as possible” the permitted house designs will be sympathetic to the precinct’s character . More equivocal, porous wish lists.
Why the haste to approve this application in the presence of so many unknowns?
This development application attracted an amazing 32 objectors citing various grounds. None of these objections have been withdrawn following consultation with the development company which includes the Wodonga mayor. Councillors, what have you done?
Sandra Williams, Beechworth
Deliveries at dawn
It is Saturday (December 1) and I have been awake since 5.45am. Why? Because a Woolworths delivery truck and driver did a delivery to my neighbours' and decided that reversing along the street (which includes the safety beep, beep, beep), slamming the doors open and sliding pallets of goods along the floor of the truck was the appropriate way to deliver today.
According to the EPA, if the driver was using a jack hammer or power tool in the back of his truck, then he would be breaking a law, but as this type of noise pollution is not addressed under any legislation, then he is legitimately able to continue doing this until the cows' come home.
All that I can do is request the Albury City Council to investigate, which I have done and to hope that the NSW government can adjust the legislation, prior to their attempt of being re-elected.
