Blue Mountains City Council has condemned a State Government proposal for a major housing development at 142-150 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba.
At its recent meeting, Council considered the proposal under a Mayoral ‘matter of urgency’ and resolved to oppose the extensive development which comprises eight four-storey buildings, with 214 apartments and 52 serviced apartments.
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill described the proposal as “grossly inappropriate for our Blue Mountains World Heritage region”.
“This is an attempt to override local planning controls and community aspirations to facilitate a form of development, with its multiple four-storey towers, that is completely at odds with a sensitive location adjacent to our renowned Cliff Drive and Narrow Neck,” said the Mayor.
“We acknowledge that there is a national housing shortage but only a fraction – 15 per cent – of this development is earmarked for affordable housing.
“This has the potential to ruin one of the most significant and beautiful areas of the Blue Mountains forever.”
The Council says the proposed eight buildings, each with four storeys, will result in significant visual impact and be visible from key locations, highly sensitive locations on the escarpment and within the National Park.
“The development is unsuitable on so many levels, not least the fact that its proposed location is surrounded by bushfire prone land, at the top of the escarpment, close to where houses were destroyed by fire in 2014,” said Mayor Greenhill.
“Furthermore, this development is not located within walking distance to any major services or shopping precincts.
“I checked out the location with Ward 1 Councillor, Suzie Van Opdorp. She shares my concerns and strongly backed my Mayoral Matter of Urgency.
“The State member and I are also working closely together on this matter.”
Councillor, Darren Rodrigo, was one of the firefighters who attended the 2014 fire.
“The fast-moving Cahills Lookout fire, which destroyed one home and damaged another, was less than a kilometre from this site,” he said.
“Then, during the catastrophic 2019–20 fire season, Cliff Drive, which is just around the corner, was repeatedly closed due to fire threats.
“With only a single two-lane road providing access, evacuation from the proposed unit site would be severely constrained in an emergency.”
The Council says it was not notified in advance of the proposal being considered by the state Housing Delivery Authority and moving through the Expression of Interest process. Nor was it notified that the NSW State Government confirmed the proposal could be considered a State Significant Development.
“This is a shocking proposal of substantial overdevelopment,” Mayor Greenhill said.
“It offers extremely limited affordable housing for the Blue Mountains while being entirely unsuitable for the region.”
Council endorsed the motion to oppose the development and resolved to write to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully and the Member for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, to object strongly to any further progression of this proposal, and to request that the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces meets with Council on the matter.
