Rodney Stevens

A development application DA2023/0759 for “Village @James Creek” a $39.48 million 290 lot subdivision, childcare centre and commercial lot at James Creek, which was rejected by the Northern Regional Planning Panel in June 2023, has been assessed by council and placed on public exhibition.

The DA proposes a 281-lot staged residential subdivision and balance area, a childcare centre, and commercial lot, a medium density lot, open space area for recreation and stormwater, and roads at lot 104 James Creek Road, estimated to cost $39,480,520.00.

The first DA for the site that was lodged in December 2020 for a 342-lot staged subdivision was withdrawn, revised, and relodged in 2022 for 329 residential lots, which when placed on public exhibition it saw 100 submissions and a petition with 171 signatures against the proposal.

Due to the value of the previous and current DA, and that it is considered a state significant development, the Northern Regional Planning Panel which is comprised of three NSW government appointed representatives and two Clarence Valley Councillors, will determine whether the revised proposal is approved or refused.

When the Northern Regional Planning Panel met via teleconference on June 29, 2023, the five-person panel unanimously refused the DA for the 329-lot subdivision, delighting the James Creek Residents Action Group.

Since then, the developer MPD Investments have revised the DA for the 33-hectare site, which, according to the Clarence Valley Local Environmental Plan 2011 is a mixture of land zoned R1 and R3 for medium density and general residential, plus a E1 local centre zone, and relodged the DA with Clarence Valley Council.

Changes to the proposed development made to achieve a more integrated, village style development include a variety of lot sizes, duplex and townhouse sites, 35 per-cent of the site to feature affordable housing such as small lots, duplexes or townhouses, plus increasing the density of housing in the R3 zone.

Community facilities including a childcare centre, parks, and shelter structures for public gatherings will be accessible to all of the surrounding community, and the revised DA includes a 50-metre vegetated buffer zone around the site to reduce impact on adjoining rural areas.

The DA is on public exhibition until 4pm on April 29 and submissions from the public are invited.

Submissions objecting to the proposed development must set out the grounds for the objection and anonymous submissions will not be considered.

To make a submission visit https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/Building-and-planning/Development-applications/Advertised-DAs/DA20230759-James-Creek-Road-James-Creek