An information session was held on July 1st at the Dalmenny Hall allowing residents of Dalmeny to hear about the sale of land behind Tatiara Street.
Six Council staff were present with three answering questions while the other three oversaw the Covid requirements of the drop in session. In all the venue was restricted to 25 people at a time so with six staff already present there was a need for a door monitor to conduct foot traffic.
Above: the Covid door monitor ensured there were only 15 members of the community in the hall at any one time. The Companion Dog had assistance scanning the QR Code.
The drop in session came from a concern voiced in Council last week by Councillor Pat McGinlay that voiced his concerns that the community were not suitably informed of the details around Council's snap announcement to sell 414,000 m2 of land zoned urban development.
The Council had tritely explained that it had all been agreed to in 2003 by the community at the time when they were asked to make submissions to new urban zoning plans.
The 400,000 square metre parcel of land is zoned for low density residential housing.
Council’s Director of Planning, Lindsay Usher, explained at Tuesday’s Council meeting that one of the few things local government can do to influence housing affordability is make land available for housing.
With Council now intending to sell its 414,000m2 land to coincide with the intended development of two adjacent parcels the Dalmeny community can expect that the new subdivision will be the size of the current township.
Above: the area identified by Council for urban expansion estimated to be the equivalent of 800 house blocks. Lindsay Usher explained the sudden decision to release the land to the current buoyant market saying “We all know housing is hard to get at the moment and there’s certainly a shortage of vacant residential land”. "Another factor in the timing is the recent change in ownership of land adjacent to the Council-owned parcel. “The new owners are looking to ready their blocks for development and bring lots to the market for sale. It makes sense to provide the opportunity to coordinate the development and release of land.” “We expect that demand to increase with the Moruya Bypass and new regional hospital being built and more and more people coming to the shire to live. Selling this land provides the potential for housing lots to be released and help meet that demand.” Mr Usher said the community would have an opportunity to provide feedback on how the land is developed. “A master plan and a development control plan will need to be prepared for the entire release area before the land can be developed,” he said. “This work would consider in more detail how future development would address environmental issues, infrastructure like roads, water and sewer, as well as open spaces and pedestrian connections. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback during these processes.” Following the drop in session the report and recommendation to sell the land will come back to Council again on Tuesday 13 July.
