Rodney Stevens
A development application DA2023/0759 for a controversial $39 million 290 lot subdivision at James Creek, which was refused by the Northern Regional Planning Panel in June 2023, has been revised and resubmitted to Clarence Valley Council for assessment.
Lodged on January 15, by Peter Bell on behalf of MPD Investments, 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.
Moves to establish a subdivision at James Creek began in 2020, and in December 2020, a DA for a 342-lot staged subdivision was withdrawn by the developer, which was celebrated at the time by the newly formed James Creek Residents Action Group.
A revised DA was lodged by MPD Investments in 2022 for 329 residential lots, one commercial lot, four drainage reserves and two open spaces on the 33-hectare site, and when the DA was put on public exhibition three times in 2022 and 2023, council received 100 submissions and a petition with 171 signatures against the subdivision.
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.
The Northern Regional Planning Panel met via teleconference on June 29, 2023, and unanimously refused the DA previous DA, resulting in a huge cheer from James Creek Residents Action Group members.
Then Chair of the panel, Di Leeson said the DA was refused for reasons including insufficient information about essential services servicing the site, the density proposed, the lack of infrastructure related to the site, the evacuation and flood isolation of the site hasn’t been resolved, the DA doesn’t represent a village atmosphere with concerns about one way in and one way out of the site, and the proposal not having a 50-metre buffer zone around the site.
The site is a mixture of land zoned R3 medium density residential, R1 general residential, and E1 local centre zone, according to the Clarence Valley Local Environmental Plan 2011.
The Statement of Environmental Effects for the revised DA details the changes made to the application to achieve a more integrated, village style development.
Changes to the design of the proposal have been adopted to achieve a variety of lot sizes, to include planning for duplex and townhouse sites, to achieve 35 per-cent of affordable housing including small lots, duplexes or townhouses, a greater density of housing will be built utilising the R3 zoning.
Additionally, a minimum 50 metre vegetated buffer zone will reduce impact with adjoining rural areas, plus community facilities will be accessible to all the surrounding community such as a childcare centre, neighbourhood parks and shelter structures in the open space for public gatherings.
Details of the DA can be found at https://cvc-web.t1cloud.com/T1PRDefault/WebApps/eProperty/P1/eTrack/eTrackApplicationDetails.aspx?r=CVC.P1.WEBGUEST&f=%24P1.ETR.APPDET.VIW&ApplicationId=DA2023%2F0759&fbclid=IwAR26jyq0CWQsDxS6uuTCUGG7lqcz4Ta6YfzFHCie2rpfTO7wDfQDN7AmiRQ
When council places the DA on public exhibition in the coming weeks, it will be found on this page https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/Building-and-planning/Advertised-DAs and feedback from the community will be invited.