GET IT RIGHT: Developers may not be able to proceed with projects until they can prove all services are in place under a plan put to council.
Maitland City Council will consider a building ban across the city unless land developers and utility providers show evidence every service is in the ground and ready to go before a single brick is laid.
An 18-month delay on phone services in McKeachies Run at Aberglasslyn has spurred councillor Henry Meskauskas into battle and he will move an urgent motion next Tuesday asking fellow councillors to review the certification of new sub-divisions.
If the motion is successful council could deny developers approval to sell a single block until all services – water, electricity, sewer and phone – are in the ground.
Cr Meskauskas said drastic times called for drastic measures.
“It is simply not good enough that these families have moved into their homes only to be told the telephone is not available and won’t be for a long time,” he said.
“It is disgraceful that they are being told they, at their own expense, have to sign up to an inferior interim service.”
Maitland, the fastest growing region in NSW, is on the cusp of approving an estimated 20,000 housing lots in subdivisions north, south, east and west of the CBD.
At the moment land developers are responsible for issuing construction certificates on individual houses on the premise all services are installed to the kerb before a slab is poured.
“It’s not about stopping development it’s about making sure the utilities go in the ground,” Cr Meskauskas said.
“If the developers are held up in any way they will quickly sort it out, like what happened at Chisholm.
“The developer couldn’t wait so he installed the cables himself.”
Stockland has, in recent weeks, stood firm that it had met its contractual agreements when issuing construction certificates.
McKeachies Run residents, however, are stuck in no man’s land between the Telstra and NBN Co trenches in the changeover to fibre optics.
“They have come up with so many excuses why the services aren’t there but at the end of the day when the trenches are open the infrastructure must go in,” Cr Meskauskas said.
“Telstra, NBN Co and Stockland are just throwing the football from one corner to another but residents have had enough of the blame game and it’s time for action.”