Dozens of people made submissions to Queanbeyan Council about a proposed new medical centre. Screenshot: Google Maps.
A regional council has heard fears regional heritage is being pushed aside, during a lengthy debate on a proposed development.
A new medical centre has been proposed for 24 Gibraltar Street in Bungendore, but the project would mean knocking down a single-storey Edwardian cottage and its outbuildings.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) had voted to give it conditional approval at a June meeting, before moving to re-list it in an extraordinary meeting.
When the initial motion councillors voted on failed to pass, they voted on foreshadowed contrary motions.
General manager Rebecca Ryan told councillors the new meeting was needed as that was a “misinterpretation” of council policy and legislative requirements.
“Therefore, as both a motion and the foreshadowed contrary motion were lost, there is currently no resolution,” Ms Ryan said.
She also said it could also result in a non-determination appeal from the applicant.
During the discussion, Councillor John Preston said the heritage value of the cottage needed to be given further weight as QPRC evaluated the proposal.
He said past advocacy work by Bungendore residents showed their commitment to preserving it.
“For council to be seen as delivering the best public value for its work, for it to be recognised as a trusted institution within this community, it must do more than simply rubber-stamp developments such as this,” he said.
He moved an amendment, which sought to defer a decision until four steps were taken.
It asked QPRC to consider applying for an interim heritage order and have the developer voluntarily consult with council staff on how the development might be amended to “address the historical significance and value of the setting”.
It called on council to consider the intent of the Local Environmental Plan (the LEP) and the Development Control Plan (DCP) and other relevant planning instruments about heritage items.
Councillors would also receive a report on how “community expectations and public interest requirements” in the LEP and the DCP were balanced during the planning process.
Queanbeyan councillors heard a heritage review is ongoing. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
Councillor Mark Schweikert, who spoke out against the proposed amendment, raised a concern the approach risked changing the development process part way through an application.
“[The plans] have been voted on by council, accepted, adopted … to suddenly change the plans because you don’t like it is actually, I think, very unfair,” he said.
“The developer’s actually done all this in good faith … and followed our plans. Moving the goal posts on them is not the right thing, not what we do here.”
Another issue discussed during the meeting was the level of heritage protection assigned to the cottage. It is not heritage-listed and is not located in a Heritage Conservation Area.
Mayor Kenrick Winchester also supported the proposal for an interim order, saying that while the medical centre would serve Bungendore’s growing population, “questions still remain” on the cottage’s value.
If approved, the medical centre would have six consulting rooms, reception and waiting areas, a treatment room and toilet facilities.
It would open between 8 am and 6 pm (Monday to Friday).
The DA also proposes a second tenant and various landscaping and earthworks (including the removal of about 20 trees and shrubs) at the site.
A staff member told the meeting that a review of council’s LEP (which includes conservation areas) would take “probably another 12 months” to finish.
Councillor Preston’s amendment was ultimately passed, meaning the development will come back before QPRC at a later date for a decision.
Councillors Livermore, Preston, Waterhouse, Wilson and Winchester voted in favour, while councillors Macdonald, Schweikert and Taskovski were against it.
