A $9.5 million seniors living development with community centre, swimming pool and bowling has been given the green light by Mid-Western Regional Council.
Sixty-five single-storey one and two bedroom units are to be built on the two hectare site, located within the Caerleon Estate.
In its consideration of the application, councillors voted five to three to waive a one per cent contribution levy ($95,000), on the basis that seniors living was needed within the region.
Addressing council at its May meeting the applicant said the levy was a duplication of charges by council for community facilities already being provided in the Caerleon Estate under its Voluntary Planning Agreement.
Council confirmed it can allow for exemptions based on the merits of the development and whether it will have an impact on the proposed infrastructure.
Councillor Esme Martens said she supported the development application with the inclusion of the contribution.
“I’m certainly not against seniors living being established within the shire … but I’d just like to remind councillors that we have to satisfy IPART and we have to also satisfy best practice for water and sewerage,” she said.
“Whilst it’s good to have parks and gardens and all of the rest of it established as part of the Caerleon subdivision, if we let people off the hook with paying these development contributions then ultimately the residents of the rest of the shire and the water and sewer areas will be picking up these costs.”
Source: Mudgee Guardian, 24 May 2016
