Residents had some big wins on development issues at a busy meeting of Sutherland Shire Council on Monday night.
However, as the old saying goes, “You can’t win ‘em all”, and a protest over the closure of the Cronulla Women’s Health Centre fell on deaf ears.
The most significant decision was probably the council’s endorsement of the Planning Committee’s recommendation to reintroduce minimum lot sizes for dual occupancy and townhouse-villa developments.
There appeared to be acceptance by all but one councillor the removal of the limits in the 2015 LEP had “gone too far”.
The only councillor not to vote for the policy change, which will be subject to state government approval, was Liberal Kent Johns, who, as mayor, was the principal architect of the LEP.
However, Cr Johns led the way in moving for council to reject a development application (DA) by Tradies for a 138-place childcare centre at Gymea.
Cr Johns’ motion for rejection was passed unanimously after the seven Labor councillors abstained.
The Labor councillors declared a conflict of interest because of the club’s donations to their election campaigns.
Residents who campaigned against the proposed rezoning of an industrial site in Parraweena Road, Taren Point, also had cause to rejoice.
The council unanimously accepted the Planning Committee’s recommendation the proposal be rejected.
The public gallery was overflowing with residents wanting to hear the outcome of these issues and others protesting over the closure of the Cronulla Women’s Health Centre.
A group of eight women, wearing white T-shirts imprinted with a message calling for the centre to be rebuilt, sat in the front row.
At one point, they unfurled a banner, leading to mayor Carmelo Pesce ordering it be removed.
There was a tense moment as council staff moved towards the women, but the group diffused the situation by folding up the banned and leaving the room.
“Shame on you,” they called as they walked out.
The council also gave the green light for investigations to continue into three strategic sites in Cronulla for hotel development.
A consultant’s report on the potential for redeveloping the Northern Gateway to the mall, the bowling club and railway land next to the station – was well received, with one councillor calling it “an important first step”.
The council endorsed a recommendation by the Infrastructure Committee for a new policy that will make all new residential flat developments and large townhouse-villa developments have on-site garbage collection, to stop bins being placed at the kerbside.
More reports from the council meeting to follow.
