Angry residents last night seized control of a community information session on the proposed Heathcote Hall development and vowed to fight it every step of the way.
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Sutherland Shire mayor Carmelo Pesce and two project representatives were targets of an emotional outpouring over plans to build five storey blocks of flats next to the heritage building at East Heathcote.
An estimated 300 people packed into a function room at Club Heathcote, with many crammed into doorways, straining to hear.
Others gave up, and left.
After two hours, resident Kelly Ferguson summed up what had been achieved: “Hopefully a huge message has been sent out tonight”.
The event, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, was planned to be an exhibition of diagrams and an opportunity for residents to ask questions “one to one” of project representatives.
But, planning firm JBA, representing the unidentified developer, seriously miscalculated.
As residents lined up to enter, the anger was palpable, and the mood only got worse when they discovered there was no formal briefing and few answers to many questions.
Within minutes, a woman climbed on a chair to express her feelings, and others stepped forward in support.
JBA representatives Ross Hornsey and Kim Shmuel did not try to stop the residents taking over the event.
They attempted to answer questions which came from all directions, but had little information to share.
A repeated question was for them to identify the developer.
“Why the secrecy?” called several people.
Mr Hornsey said the developer was a local person. “I don’t have a name,” he said.
Some residents were aware, as is the Leader, settlement on the sale of the property occurred only on Tuesday this week after the matter was not finalised by the original deadline two months ago.
The Leader understands the buyer, a shelf company Fuzortinn Pty Ltd, had difficult obtaining finance.
Mr Hornsey told the gathering they appreciated “the depth of feeling” among residents.
“I will be honest – we didn’t anticipate this many people. It is quite clear there are strong feelings,” he said.
Mr Hornsey said feedback from the meeting and through written comment on forms that were provided at the door would be “taken into consideration" and included in the development application.
This response infuriated residents, who saw it as lip service to planning laws requiring community consultation.
The three councillors who attended – Cr Pesce (Liberal), Cr Diedree Steinwall (Labor) and Peter Towell (Shire Watch) all opposed the proposal.
However, they said the council’s role would be limited because, as the project will cost more than $20 million, it will go the Joint Regional Planning Panel for a decision.
Two Liberal councillors, Kevin Schreiber and Carol Provan, are members of the panel, which includes planning experts.
Cr Pesce was jeered when he said he couldn’t remember the name of the developer whom he met when a concept plan was presented to the council about six months ago.
“I didn’t get his card,” he said.
Cr Pesce said he told the project representatives he had “great concern about units being built at East Heathcote” and “you will have a problem with the residents”.
“I said ‘you need go back to the drawing board’,” he said.
Cr Pesce said the council could do nothing further until a DA was lodged.
He said, when that occurred, the council would call another community meeting at the much larger venue, Sutherland Entertainment Centre, and advise residents by mail.
Referring to the colourful artist’s impression of the proposed development, he said, “When the DA comes in we will see [the details] not pretty pictures.”
“Something is going to go [on the site] and my job is to represent the community.
“We will speak up for you.
“There are a lot of people here and there is definitely a lot on angst.”
Cr Pesce said the situation was similar to an application by the Exclusive Brethren to build a 900-seat meeting hall at Heathcote.
”It was knocked back by the council and then it went to the Land and Environment Court,” he said,.
“They got it through [in 2013], but the difference between what they started with and ended up with was chalk and cheese.”
Some residents expressed the view it would be a tough fight because a lot of money had been invested and plans prepared over years.
Cr Pesce was laughed at when he said, “The developer may go away today and say, ‘This is too hard’, and throw the idea away”.
One man commented, “He must still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy”.
A humourous moment came after a resident said that even the building of a single home in East Heathcote could produce traffic problems when building supplies were delivered.
A man interjected: “You will be given an allocated time [when you can drive]”.
A residents action group was formed to co-ordinate what could be a long, tough fight.
