Rodney Stevens
The rural community of James Creek is concerned many of the issues that led to a previous DA for a $33m 336 lot subdivision being unanimously refused have not been addressed in a revised proposal, which has increased the development density but does not provide solutions to the inadequate infrastructure and services in the area.
MPD Investments lodged the revised DA 2023/0759 for “Village@James Creek” in February 2024, which 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 James Creek Residents Group say they aren’t opposed to development, which in 2009 was slated to use “world class development techniques”, but since the original proposal, the subdivision has increased in size and density, and the 50-metre buffer zone around the site has been removed, making the proposal not suitable for the site, the Group claims.
After the previous DA, which was placed on public exhibition three times where council received 100 submissions and a 171-signature petition against the proposal, was unanimously refused by the Northern Regional Planning Panel on June 29, 2023, developer Peter Bell revised the DA and relodged it with council.
The group said they were appreciative of council engaging independent consultants to assist with the previous DA process, who council have again been engaged to assist with the revised proposal.
Fifth generation James Creek famers Dean and Melissa Lawrence, who own 420 acres of land to the east and west of the 33-hectare site, are concerned the development will impact their ability to earn an income and said they haven’t been approached by the developer.
Mr Lawrence said the significant increase in traffic on James Creek Road will limit their ability to move cattle between lots.
“Imagine 350 families with little to do, there will be trespassing, there will be conflict, because with no bike tracks and no bus service, if people want to leave, they have to travel by car,” he said.
Long term James Creek resident Pat Bowen said the site should have never been rezoned to allow a subdivision and he received a letter two weeks before it was rezoned.
James Creek resident Lorri Brown said the revised DA has increased density which poses a variety of issues associated with overdevelopment, as the previous DA proposed 336 lots and 370 dwellings on 33 hectares, while the revised DA proposes 292 lots and 354 dwellings on 27.5 hectares of land.
The group is seriously concerned about the lack of social infrastructure and services for the development, as there is no bus service, and no footpath or cycle way on James Creek Road to access the bus stop on Yamba Road, 4km from the site.
“Without personal transport it will be impossible for people to access community and individual support services and resources such as health, education, sport and recreation and community services, which is contrary to the NSW Government and council’s Affordable Housing Policy,” Mrs Brown said.
32-year resident of James Creek, Glenn Brown said the proposal to overdevelop the site will pose issues for emergency services if the only entry and exit is blocked, plus plans to prohibit turning right from James Creek Road will direct more traffic onto Gardiners Road, while the childcare centre will increase traffic volumes even further.
The group said the current state of James Creek Road and inadequate intersections at Yamba Road and Gardiners Road won’t cope during and post construction and there is no timeline to address these issues.
The increased stormwater runoff volume and quality is a concern, which the group says will degrade prime agricultural land surrounding the site.
Without 50 metre buffer zones around the site, which on the revised DA contain roads, walking paths, a park and a coffee shop opposite cattle yards, the group says the development impacts on the “right to farm”.
Other issues raised by the group were the inward facing structure of the proposal and the stark difference of the subdivision to surrounding rural properties.
Members of the public are invited to make submissions about the DA, which is on public exhibition until 4pm on April 29.
To make a submission visit https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/Building-and-planning/Development-applications/Advertised-DAs/DA20230759-James-Creek-Road-James-Creek