The Heathcote Hall developers have confirmed their identities after being “outed” on social media.
Robert Orth, Nathan Fuz and John Innes are directors of Fuzortinn, which paid $5.5 million for the site.
In an interview on site with the Leader, Mr Orth said they had been meeting leaders of the Save Heathcote East residents group, and were revising plans for the development.
”We are now in a stage where we are reassessing our plans,” he said.
“We have gone out to seek independent, third party advice.
”It is very safe to say, in the next four weeks, when we try and crystalise our revised proposal, there’s no doubt it’s going to be different .”
However, co-convenor of Save Heathcote East, Kelly Ferguson, played down the significance of the meetings and said residents were distrustful.
“All that has happened is we have agreed to disagree, and there are no ongoing meetings,” she said.
“Now they have been named and shamed they are trying to crawl back with a bit of PR.
“I question how genuine they are.
“We have made our position very clear that we will accept only what is allowed in E4 zoning, which is single homes.”
Mr Orth said he lived in Haberfield, while Mr Fuz and Mr Innes had been “shire boys” for 25-30 years.
Between them, they had 80 years experience in development.
Mr Orth, a civil engineer by background, said he was working on some smaller developments with Mr Fuz, while Mr Innes had experience in big projects.
He completely rejected suggestions of donations to the Liberal Party.
Mr Orth said they had met with Environment and Heritage Minister Mark Speakman and Heathcote MP Lee Evans late last year to sound out state government assistance for restoring Heathcote Hall.
They had been told government funding was not available.
Mr Orth said he and his two partners formed the new company Fuzortinn after an approach in the middle of last year to take over the development of Heathcote Hall when the previous developer withdrew.
The earlier proposal had been for 165 aged care units, but they did not think the plans “stacked up” or that it was commercially viable.
“We went away and did a lot of work and came up with new plans,” he said.
“We obviously made a mistake in having [planning consultant] JBA run the first community information night, and not being front and centre.
“Hence, we are now trying actively to communicate with everyone.”
The Leader put to Mr Orth they had only done so after being “outed” on the Save Heathcote East Facebook page.
“Yes, which is fine. Our names are out there. It doesn’t bother us,” he said.
“We have had phone calls and emails from people, and what we want to do is get on the front foot and let people know this is who we are.”
Mr Orth said he was at the community information meeting, which was take over by angry residents, but did not step forward.
He said the reason he and his partners had remained anonymous was “a bit of advice from our planners, for starters”.
"We had only just bought the site and the whole purpose was to be an introduction night, see the concepts, talk to the local experts about traffic, environment, heritage...
”We just didn’t think we were going to be that important to it.
“We got it wrong. No doubt about it. Everyone has told us that.”
Mr Orth said the reason settlement on the property was delayed for two months was that they had difficulty obtaining finance.
