The development of the former RAAF Base has turned into an election issue just one day out from polling.
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With residents of Dubbo Regional Council set to cast their votes on Saturday, it has been revealed site owners Andorra Developments have filed an appeal to the Land and Environment Court.
Managing Director Mark Stanford spoke with the Daily Liberal on Thursday, saying his organisation had no choice after waiting 18 weeks for approval of a development application he estimates could bring at least $150 million worth of construction work to the city.
Legislation allows for a decision to be handed down within 62 days.
Central Ward candidate John Ryan was quick to issue a release bemoaning the fact the developers were, in his words “sick to death of a pretty straightforward development being artfully delayed and delayed and delayed”.
Outgoing Dubbo Regional Council administrator Michael Kneipp wouldn’t be drawn on the issue.
“Council is currently assessing a Development Application for the former RAAF Stores Depot and is awaiting information from the applicant and advice from the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and the Office of Environment and Heritage (OHE) in order to finalise this assessment,” he said.
“It is understood that an appeal was lodged with the NSW Land and Environment Court on 5 September 2017. Accordingly I will not be commenting on the matters raised by Mr Ryan who is a candidate in the upcoming council election.”
Mr Stanford said he and his business partners Brett Harvey, Rob Stevenson, Bill Stevenson and John Stevenson had been backed into a corner.
“We bought that site in 2011 and have worked with council to the point of having pre-lodgement discussions with them in November last year,” Mr Stanford said.
“We’re frustrated because our DA is simply to subdivide the land but we’re getting nowhere.
“I’m actually looking forward to this election because the staff are going to have to justify to the councillors and mayor why they need to spend money on fighting this in court, and there is an opportunity for the councillors and mayor to champion positive change.
“This could yield 600 dwellings, and if you say they’re an average of $250,000 to build then that is $150 million worth of construction that is being held back on.
“And that is without the industrial and tourism elements. The site is 100 acres and anchors Orana Mall to the CBD and is already a greenfield site zoned R1 – the boxes are ticked.
“It is the next logical site for development like this but we can’t get it off the ground so we had to take this action.
“Council does a great job of running the city. Our sporting fields are great, our toilets flush and so on but when you want to spend substantial money it becomes an absolute nightmare.”
