The Mac Services Group has appealed to the Land and Environment Court in an effort to overturn a decision rejecting its proposed 400-bed temporary workers’ village near Gulgong.
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The Western Region Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) rejected the development application for the $26 million project at a hearing in October, upholding Mid-Western Regional Council’s legal advice that the development was prohibited on the proposed site at the corner of Black Lead Lane and Cope Road.
Mid-Western Regional Council Mayor Des Kennedy said he was surprised and disappointed to learn this week that The Mac had lodged a Class 1 Action in the Land and Environment Court.
“The MAC Group always made it very clear that if the community did not want this development, it wouldn’t proceed,” Cr Kennedy said.
“The hearing undertaken by the Joint Regional Planning Panel saw clear community opposition to the development.
“The Region’s residents let the Panel and The MAC Group know that the development is not welcome in Gulgong.
“Council took a very strong stance to support the community on this matter.
“For the MAC Group to now lodge an appeal to the Environment Court is in direct conflict with their previous commitments, and disregards the wishes of the Gulgong community and Council.
“Council’s position and the community resistance to this development has been made very clear, which is why I’m surprised to see The MAC Group take action to appeal the Joint Regional Planning Panel’s decision.”
Cr Kennedy said that The MAC Group’s decision to aggressively pursue the development did not make sense on commercial grounds.
“The Cobbora Coal Project has indicated that they are building a construction camp with their development if it proceeds,” he said.
“Moolarben Coal currently has an application before Council for temporary workers accommodation at Turill, and another mining camp approval has been granted in Ulan village.
“There is no need for a minimum 400 bed and maximum 1400 bed camp to be built at Gulgong by The MAC Services Group.
“I don’t believe that the camp will in any way benefit the Gulgong community, either socially or economically.”