South Hurstville residents want development planning controls put in place to regulate places of worship.
The South Hurstville Residents Association was formed last year to fight a proposal for a mosque at 849 King Georges Road, on the corner of Tavistock Street.
The mosque would comprise three levels of basement parking for 31 cars, and a two- to three-storey building with a traditional dome occupying the third level.
The ground floor would contain a men’s prayer area while the women’s area would be on the second floor where there would also be a kitchen and classrooms.
Residents objected to the proposal saying it would cause traffic, parking and noise problems.
The proposal is due to be heard in the Land and Environment Court in August.
An Association spokesman, who didn’t want to be named, said Kogarah Council could have saved time and money if proper planning controls had been in place to cover places of worship.
They point to Wollongong and Lake Macquarie Councils which both have development control plans covering places of worship.
In the Wollongong control plans there are regulations around the building size, noise, traffic and setbacks.
‘’We’re dismayed that the project has even got this far,’’ he said.
‘’The planning laws haven’t been updated to deal with these type of proposals.
‘’The council is being caught with their pants down. Without control plans these kind of proposals can pop up anywhere.
‘’There needs to be regulations.’’
The association has consulted experts of their own to fight the development.
‘’We have to contend with being branded racist,’’ he said.
‘’We’ve kept racism out of it and we’re focused just on the technical grounds and the problems with parking and traffic.’’
A Georges River Council spokeswoman said there were currently no plans to introduce additional development controls for places of worship.
