Councillor Steve Procter thought his fellow councillors dealt in facts, but after the debate over the Raworth shed, he isn’t so sure.
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Cr Procter was left disappointed after all of his colleagues, except councillors Philip and Nicole Penfold, voted against Maitland City Council staff’s recommendation to approve the shed behind two blocks that face Morpeth Road.
That decision has put the council at risk of being challenged in the NSW Land and Environment Court, if land owner David Murdoch decides to take the matter further.
“It disappoints me that we can’t make a tough but legitimate decision on a clear-cut case with a complying development,” Cr Procter said.
“I just can’t understand how they’re prepared to talk about good neighbours. What happens in the future when the house is sold? How much noise a lawn mower makes? I don’t see the relevance in that and the approval or refusal of a complying development.”
Mr Murdoch, who bought a primary production-zoned block off Brush Farm Road, wanted to build a 25-metre shed directly behind 290 and 292 Morpeth Road to house tractors, a lawn mower and vintage cars and motorbikes.
The residents at 290 Morpeth Road, who have a shed at the back of their house, were happy for plans to proceed.
Jo and Stewart Crawley, who live next door, would have had part of the shed built behind their back fence. They aren’t against the shed but they want it moved to another part of the site.
Cr Procter acknowledged Mr Murdoch did not yet have a house on the block, which would have allowed the shed to be approved through the state government’s complying development guidelines.
But he did not think that should stop the shed from being approved.
“I’m very surprised because I thought this council dealt in facts,” he said.
“I take on board that the house is not there yet. We know it’s coming, it’s still a complying development.
“There is going to be a shed there one way or the other.”
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