A large number of angry and sometimes volatile residents crowded into the Venus Reception Centre on Monday night to tell Kogarah Council what they think of its New City Plan.
Many doubted the council would take any notice.
Speaker after speaker said the public forum was just a formality which would do nothing to persuade the council to diverge from its plan to allow high-rises up to 11 storeys in large parts of the city.
Speaker after speaker demanded that the plan — an LEP amendment to meet future housing needs — be returned to the drawing board for a fresh start more in keeping with the Kogarah lifestyle and the expectation of its residents.
Another bone of contention was the forum itself, run along the lines of a formal council meeting, with speakers allowed three minutes to get their points across.
They wanted a question-and-answer type of hearing where council officers and councillors could explain themselves and be accountable for their actions.
By the start of the forum at 7pm on Monday (August 31) there was standing room only in the reception centre.
According to several estimates more than 700 people were present, of whom 82 had registered to speak.
Of the speakers only about three or four spoke in favour of the plan.
See more in Thursday’s Leader.