The private operator had applied to the Government’s Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) for approval of its plan to expand the current site from 245 homes to 385 after the original proposal was knocked back by the Hills Shire Council.
But on June 7, the Sydney Central City Planning Panel’s acting chair Paul Mitchell refused the plan and site compatibility certificate as the application “has not demonstrated the site is suitable for more intensive development”.
“A significant portion of the site contains native vegetation which is part of a bushland corridor,” he said.
“The panel considers this corridor, including the native vegetation on the site, to be environmentally valuable.”
The Council also raised concerns with the JRPP, including traffic generation, bushfire threat and a lack of services to cater for increases in population.
The refusal comes despite a campaign by local seniors for the Council to support the development, citing a 150-person waitlist for the village.
As we covered here, the NSW Government cracked down on village and aged care developments in rural and semi-rural areas last October, pushing through new legislation that tightened the criteria for developers.
Living Choice told the Telegraph that they will re-submit the application “once we obtain further clarity”.
