Community meeting on 49 lot Millthorpe subdivision deemed constructive

"It puts the proponent in front of the community that they are affecting," said the president of the MVC Nick Anagnostaras. "And that was a good thing as it allowed them to put forward the reasons why these decisions have been made."

"They also were able to hear some of the major concerns from the people directly affected, and some of the broader issues across the community."

As welcome as that opportunity was, Mr Anagnostaras is well aware that the reality is that the development application will be judged on its merits and the next step for the MVC is to gather as much information from the Millthorpe community and present those concerns to Blayney Shire Council.

"This week a survey will be sent out that will enable people to complete their opinion and also open commentary on the core issues," Mr Anagnostaras said.

"We need to obtain the core issues so that we can then establish the themes and some sort of mitigation or recommendations and draw some of those things out."

The largest concern is the visual and aesthetic changes the development will bring to the entrance to the village which includes the management of any vegetative screening along and around the boundaries.

"The visual screening proposal at this point is to open and it needs to be defined and therefore managed by the developer," Mr Anagnostaras said.

"The area is well known as the only passage for all stormwater coming from the eastern side of the village and that joins with all the water that already flows into Richard's Lane from other parts of the village.

"That is a real concern that the community and council already struggle to manage."

After those concerns it's the lack of connectivity between the development and the rest of the village that ranks high in the community.

"It's a closed estate," Mr Anagnostaras said. "It's one way in and one way out and not integrated into any part of the village. People moving there will need to go out onto Park Street to just walk into the village."

David Fenton of the Fenlor Group Pty Ltd chaired the Q&A session and speaking afterwards said that they would take many of the points made on board, but emphasised the role that Blayney council has in progressing the development.

"It was great to hear what people had to say, but when it comes to the style of housing we don't have a lot of control over that and because it's in the village precinct council will require a development application for every house," he said.

In regards to the access limitations of the current design Mr Fenton said that they will work with council to look at options.

"We can only work with the land that we have ownership on, but we're keen to create that link," he said.

Mr Fenton said that there were between 20-30 good suggestions made during the meeting and is urging the community to put them to Blayney council either directly or through the MVC.

The Development Application will be publicly advertised for a period of 50 days between 9 December 2021 and 28 January 2022.

The documents can be found at https://www.blayney.nsw.gov.au/council/your-say/documents-on-public-exhibition/documents-on-public-exhibition

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