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Tue Dec 7, 2004 10:39pm
209.86.143.174
Prospects for Rebels' DA approval brighten
Liz McCormick
Wednesday, 8 December 2004
Prospects for the Rebels Motorcycle Club gaining council approval for their
clubrooms/gymnasium at Pambula have brightened in the light of what the mayor,
and council's general manager, said at the Merimbula Area Committee [MAC]
meeting on Wednesday.
The development [DA] lodged by the Rebels received a setback when the Merimbula
Area Committee decided to give it the thumbs down and recommended that the
council refuse it.
The purpose of the DA is to legitimise the Rebels' existing use of a building at
the rear of the industrial centre in Toalla Street.
MAC decided to oppose the DA on the grounds that the close proximity of the
clubrooms to the Pambula Caravan Park was unsuitable.
However, following the publication of that report in the News Weekly, the park
manager John Price said the concerns were groundless as the residents did not
have a problem with the clubrooms.
At Wednesday night's MAC meeting members asked Mayor David Hede and the shire's
general manager, David Jesson, about the chances of the DA's survival.
Cr Hede said that if the DA met all the planning requirements under the Local
Environmental Plan it would be unwise for the council to refuse it, as the
matter would likely end up in the Land and Environment Court with little
prospect of the council winning.
A MAC member then suggested that maybe the council could approve the DA on a
trial basis.
Mr Jesson said that again could be "appealable" in the Land and Environment
Court if the DA met all the planning requirements.
Cr Hede said the applicant had "taken extreme care" to ensure the DA applied to
the LEP in every way it possibly could.
Asked whether the police had any objection to the DA, Cr Hede said he had spoken
to Acting Superintendent Shane Box, of the Bega Police, who had told him police
had inspected the clubrooms on a couple of occasions and they had no concerns
about its operation.
Mr Jesson said the DA would probably come before the council at its first
meeting in February.
Cr Joyce McGill said she would like to speak with the Rebel's representative
Darren Beasley and park residents before she voted on the matter.
