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Collapse Issue 436 - 15 Jan 2018Issue 436 - 15 Jan 2018
Collapse  RAIL CHAOS RAIL CHAOS
Factors combined for rail chaos
Commuters describe four-hour journeys
'Train' trip took three hours from Central
MacDonald apologises for train disruptions
Trackwork to be completed this week
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Molly celebrates 105th birthday
Australia Day activities on Woy Woy waterfront
Visit by NSW Maritime fails to result in fines
Ocean Beach area is dangerous, says Mehrtens
Tesch calls for Woy Woy wharf upgrade
Councillor questions need for study before action
Plans for sand study supported by community group
Rawson Rd was only crossing with two fatalities
Six tonnes of sand to be sculpted
Accident proves need for train guards - Tesch
Encourage development in Woy Woy, says Chamber
MP supports Umina youth festival
New electronic waste contractor engaged at the tip
Permanent dredging solution is supported - Tesch
Chamber opposes lower submission threshold
Rotary club pays for three Ugandan classrooms
Mary Mac's receives Rotary donations
Little 'trickle down' despite tourism success - Chamber
Council to appoint interim general manager
Surf club holds first seaside market
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
A ray of hope on the horizon
Sand creates hazard on footpaths
Any system is better than this unwieldy, exclusive one
Council could never be accused of acting in haste
Bank inquiry is good news
Open letter sent to Central Coast Council
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Program to reduce risk of falling
Lymphoedema common on the Peninsula
Project success for retirement village and graduate
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Arts and crafts centre announces upgrades
Little Theatre performs satirical comedy Australia Day
Canadian duo first up at folk club
Blues Angels at Hardy's Bay

Chamber opposes lower submission threshold

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce President, Mr Matthew Wales, said the Chamber was opposed to Central Coast Council's decision to reduce the number of submission from 50 to 15 for a development application to be referred to a Council meeting.

It is calling for the decision to be reversed.

"This is the last thing this council needs because it is simply going to choke up council meetings like the bad old days with development applications that have been referred to the meeting because of the number of objections," Mr Wales said.

"The chamber's view is that the staff should be able to undertake their jobs and merit assess these applications without having to constantly refer them to council meetings that adds weeks to the approval process," he said.

"Further to that, any two councillors can request an application come back to a council meeting regardless of the number of objections if they feel that application needs to be debated.

"So, once again, we are seeing a slowdown in the process which is going to further impede the orderly development we need in this city when we can't even meet our current housing requirements.

"If it is a set of units, for instance, and it gets more than 15 objections, which is not difficult, then that set of villas or townhouses goes to a council meeting and that adds a month to the approval process.

"We have found from experience that a lot of the submissions that are made are not well founded and it is a requirement of the staff to consider only those objections that have a sound planning basis.

"But in this case, just because you don't like something, that sort of objection should not carry the same weight as an objection due to non-compliance.

"I was happy with the 50 submissions because councillors always had the right to call an application up anyway so I thought that was reasonable, knowing there was an ability to refer a matter."

"This is not the time for us to be throwing additional hurdles in front of a development.

"We are better and cleverer than that and the staff are eminently qualified to make merit based decision," Mr Wales said.





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