Two distinctly different residential proposals dominated last week’s Campbelltown Council meeting.
One was to convert the golf course known as Macarthur Grange to a residential estate of around 52 large lots.
The second was an application by Landcom to increase the number of dwellings for its high rise Macarthur Gardens North proposal from 1,250 dwellings to 1,625, but including a commitment of a minimum 10 percent of affordable housing.
Both proposals received the green light from the council, but for vastly different reasons.
Macarthur Grange was perceived as an attractive addition to Campbelltown’s housing stock, especially acreage lots.
On the other hand, the Landcom development was supported, in the main, because it is close to all the modern day amenities, from public transport such as trains, retail services, education and hospitals and other health services.
Veteran councillor Meg Oates, who in 2027 will mark 40 years of service on Campbelltown Council, warned that approving Macarthur Grange could spark “creeping development’’ in the rest of the Scenic Hills.
“For 20 years council has opposed plans to develop the Scenic Hills,’’ Cr Oates said.
“The people are opposed to development on the Scenic Hills.
The Scenic Hills is what’s special about Campbelltown, and if we approve this, you’ll get creeping development, and we’ll end up having no Scenic Hills.’’
Two other councillors, Karen Hunt and the Macarthur Greens’ Theo Triebels, supported Cr Oates, and all three voted against the development when it was put to the vote.
However, 11 other councillors voted to support what the Mayor, Darcy Lound, said would be “a good outcome for Campbelltown’’.
As well as 52 environmental living lots, the Macarthur Grange planning proposal will also enable a “hospitality” precinct of up to 10 acres in size, dedication of a linear open space ridge-aligned park, and a hilltop conservation reserve.
The two Community Voice Australia councillors, Khaled Halabi and Masud Khalil, voted against the request by Landcom to increase the number of dwellings at the Macarthur Gardens North development.
A large majority of councillors – 12 to be exact – voted in favour of the increase.
