Council approved a block of land on Harris Road next to Collier & Miller for a housing development in 2025. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Agricultural supplier Collier & Miller has launched proceedings in a specialist NSW court to challenge a residential townhouse development next door to its Griffith premises.
Griffith City Council approved a development application (DA) for farmer Lynda Frank’s self-managed super fund, 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 in November 2025. The dwelling is aimed at providing accommodation to workers moving to Griffith who have been struggling to find a place to live due to the town’s rental shortage.
Under the law, interested parties can apply to the NSW Land and Environment Court to have this decision reviewed and possibly reversed.
According to court records, Collier & Miller has launched a Class 4 judicial review against the DA – which essentially alleges that the decision to approve it was not consistent with the law.
Another local business, ICI Industries Pty Ltd, which operates Irribiz, is also listed as a party.
No further details on the civil court action have been made public, but a first hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday 10 April in Sydney.
When the DA was being considered by council, Collier & Miller wrote a submission objecting to it. Its letter stated the company understood the need for more housing in Griffith, but believed the proposed development was in the “wrong location”.
Collier & Miller said the residential block clashed with the character of the street. Photo: Supplied.
The longstanding Griffith business argued tenants would be exposed to industrial noise, that residential development conflicted with the area’s industrial character, and that traffic posed safety risks. The submission also raised concerns that the development could limit the future expansion of Collier & Miller.
Zalt Real Estate Pty Ltd argued that tenants had lived on the site since 2017 and never complained about noise and traffic. The company also argued that Griffith needed more accommodation built for workers moving to town, noting that prospective employees had turned down employment opportunities due to a lack of housing.
At its November 2025 meeting, councillors debated the desperate need for more affordable housing in town against concerns about the location of the development, ultimately voting 5-4 in favour of giving the project the green light. Council planning staff recommended approving the DA, saying it abided by all laws, regulations and zoning requirements. The site of the proposed townhouses is zoned as mixed use – which allows for both residential and industrial development.
If Collier & Miller’s judicial review is successful, the DA approval could be quashed and the matter sent back to council for reconsideration.
