Collier & Miller wrote a letter arguing the residential block clashed with the character of the street. Photo: supplied.
Griffith City Council has approved a controversial townhouse development on Harris Road, despite objections from agricultural supplier Collier & Miller and other nearby companies.
At a meeting on Wednesday night (November 26), councillors debated the desperate need for more affording housing in town against concerns about the location of the proposed development next to industrial businesses; ultimately voting 5-4 in favour of giving the project the green light.
The decision paves the way for Myall Park-registered company Zalt Real Estate Pty Ltd to build a $2.7 million two-storey housing complex that includes 10 two-bedroom apartments with 17 car parking spaces at 10-12 Harris Road. The area provides for mixed use zoning – meaning it can accommodate both residential and industrial developments, though the latter dominates at present.
Cr Scott Groat initially moved a motion to knock back the development, citing zoning concerns, potential noise complaints, inaccessible parking and saying councillors didn’t have enough information about it.
He was supported by Cr Anne Napoli.
“We all agree that we need more housing but it needs to be in the right place,” Cr Napoli said.
“There won’t even be enough room to put their garbage bins out. There’s no open space, if there’s children in these units, where will they go for fresh air and to play?”
Mayor Doug Curran pointed out there are many unit complexes in towns that have multiple garbage bins.
He support the DA, as did Cr Shari Blumer, who highlighted the housing crisis in a town where rental vacancies are less than one per cent.
“We don’t have enough housing, especially this sort of housing,” she said.
“Our housing shortage is creating a workforce shortage… I cannot favour one business over another business.”
A location map of the proposed Harris Road development was provided in the Griffith City Council papers. Photo: Griffith City Council.
Cr Jenny Ellis said she was torn about the DA but ultimately decided to back it, given her trust in Griffith Council staff who recommended it’s approval and noted it abided by all relevant laws.
“This is a difficult decision that affects a lot of businesses and people’s lives. We are between a rock and a hard place,” she said.
“Ive heard lots about people complaining about noise, but they will go into those houses understanding that they are in that environment.”
Cr Ellis noted that if council rejected the DA, the developer could take the council to the Land and Environment Court to have their decision overturned.
Griffith Council’s Director of Sustainable Development Joe Rizzo said this could end up costing ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Cr Mark Dal Bon opposed the DA.
“I’ve done a lot of work standing outside this area, it’s a wonder I haven’t been done for stalking… what I’ve seen of the traffic… it’s too much of a risk for the public,” he said.
The proposed housing development is on land next to Collier and Miller. Photo: supplied.
Before the council meeting, longstanding business Collier & Miller objected to the proposal, with general manager Chris Miller arguing that residential housing was inconsistent with the industrial and commercial character of Harris Road and raised concerns about safety.
“Harris Road is a busy industrial traffic corridor, with a large number of heavy vehicle movements each day. Mixing residential cars and pedestrian traffic (including children and families) in a street that is a busy industrial traffic corridor will create significant safety risks,” he wrote in a letter to council.
Nearby businesses Griffith Laminate Supplies and Griffith Self Storage also opposed the proposed housing development.
At the council meeting, Crs Curran, Ellis, Testoni, O’Grady and Blumer all supported the DA, while Crs Napoli, Groat, Dal Bon and Stead opposed it, meaning it passed by the narrowest of margins 5-4.
