MAYORS STATEMENT 11th JUNE WAKEFIELD PARK
On Tuesday 22nd June Council will hold an extraordinary meeting to determine DA 0117/2021 for alterations and additions to Wakefield Park. This meeting has been planned since December 2020, to allow the applicant the time to complete their development application and respond to submissions.
Contrary to the information circulated on Facebook on Thursday night, a decision has not been made on this matter. A report will be considered by council on the 22nd June; this report does recommend refusal due to a number of issues, including noise impacts.
As the determining authority for this application, council staff have an obligation to consider all factors and impacts, and then present a report to council for our consideration. This assessment is based upon the information council staff sought from the applicant, and the response we subsequently received.
In my opinion there is still work to do to achieve a fair outcome for both Wakefield Park and the community members living in that part of our region. I am proposing to draft an alternative motion to put to councillors on the 22nd June which will not refuse the development application, but will allow Wakefield Park time to address some of the concerns with further detail, particularly around noise. This would allow them to continue operating, but put a timeframe on the issues to be addressed including a noise management plan, before any approval can be granted.
Council do appreciate the positive economic impact Wakefield Park has on our wider region. It is our role to balance this with the impacts on community members, which have not yet been fully addressed.
Community members who put in a submission will be contacted over the coming week and will have the opportunity to present to Council on the 22nd June.
Members of the community are welcome to attend the meeting on the 22nd June.
