A DEVELOPER has proposed installing a roof over a sensory playground for special needs children to shield them from views from proposed eight-storey apartment blocks.
Parents at Miranda Public School are outraged Sutherland Shire Council appears to be considering the plans, despite voting on November 10 to defer the required rezoning.
The rezoning was removed from the draft local environmental plan to allow further consultation with the school "in order to get the best possible outcome for the continued successful use of the sensory regulation playground".
Miranda MP Barry Collier said the rezoning appeared to be "a done deal" — a claim flatly denied by mayor Kent Johns.
A meeting at the school on November 27 was attended by representatives of the developer, council, Department of Education and school principal Glen Carter.
The P&C Association was not invited.
A week later, the developer's representative wrote to the council, confirming the plans and including architectural diagrams.
The letter stated an all-weather, six- metre-wide roof over the playground, setbacks, lattice screening and dense landscaping would get "zero impact" from overlooking buildings.
"Our client has a genuine interest in resolving this important, yet minor specific matter," planning consultant Jeff Mead wrote.
P&C Association vice-president and volunteer tutor Helen Mabbutt called on Planning Minister Pru Goward to intervene.
Mrs Mabbutt said that the council's actions were "negligent and highly irregular".
"It is clear the council is not considering any changes to the proposed rezoning, and is instead working with a developer to produce a development control plan that will lessen the impacts," she said.
Mr Collier said it appeared to be "development by the back door".
"Here we have a developer with offshore connections and architectural plans for eight storeys already drawn up on the assumption that council will 'give the nod' to the proposed rezoning," he said.
DEAL DENIED
Mayor Kent Johns said Mr Collier’s suggestion the rezoning was a ‘‘done deal’’ was ‘‘a blatant lie’’.
Councillor Johns said he was not aware of the meeting.
‘‘If [the developer and Department of Education] wish to meet and look for a way forward, there is nothing the council or I can do about it,’’ he said.
‘‘However, it is probably good for people to be proactive and to talk to each other.
‘‘I hope they can come up with something that makes everyone happy.’’
Cr Johns said as the council had deferred the decision on rezoning, it ‘‘currently has no position’’ on the matter.
‘‘Council is very concerned with the needs of all members of the community, especially those of children with disabilities, and to allege otherwise is a blatant and mischievous lie,’’ he said.
Has the council acted improperly?
