COUNCILLORS spent part of Wednesday night debating whether or not to keep one condition imposed on the Taco Bell development.
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The applicant, McDuck Properties, had lodged a modification requesting that a condition, which required ingress to site via Howick Street and egress only via Stewart Street, be deleted.
McDuck Properties' Hector Abbott later told the Western Advocate that the condition could put the project "in jeopardy" if councillors didn't change their minds.
Mayor Bobby Bourke, deputy mayor Ian North and councillors Alex Christian and Monica Morse voted in support of a motion to delete the condition, but they were overpowered by the five votes from councillors Warren Aubin, John Fry, Graeme Hanger, Jess Jennings and Jacqui Rudge.
However, a rescission motion was then submitted on Thursday by the mayor, Cr Christian and Cr Morse, meaning the resolution remains on hold.
It also means that the same debate will likely be had again in a month's time when the matter comes back to council.
This is what councillors were thinking on Wednesday night.
- Warren Aubin: "I just think it's too dangerous."
- Alex Christian: "Of course it's about jobs, it might create about 50 of them for our young people and if that's not a good story, I might as well walk out of this chamber right now because that's an embarrassment."
- Jess Jennings: "I'd be open to changing my position from sticking to the original position if I was provided with a clear indication and some rational logic as to why the condition that we're putting on them is going to lead to reduced sales and to what extent those sales are reduced. So, without that, I don't think they're really doing us the courtesy of giving us a good reason."
- Ian North: "The facts in front of me say it's allowable by the actual authority (Transport for NSW) that is the only authority."
- Jacqui Rudge: "Councils need to be sticking to their decisions. We shouldn't be supporting this variation."
Monica Morse also asked if traffic lights could be installed, but was told that treatment of the intersection was not part of the DA.
John Fry and Graeme Hanger chose not to speak during the discussion.
