Shoalhaven Action Campaign

Media release - 24 July 2008

With the Department of Local Government advising that it will be investigating Shoalhaven City Councils proposed sale of land at Bridge Road in Nowra to property developer Huscorp, Mayoral candidate John Fergusson says that it seems Council are lurching from one disaster to another. “This is the latest in a long list of problems the Department has identified with Shoalhaven City Council.”

“One of the concerns with the Bridge Road development is that this land is classified as community land and Council are not able to sell this without a reclassification which involves community consultation,” said Mr Fergusson “A very similar situation applied to Council’s proposed sale of a public car park in Huskisson to the same developer. It has been reported that Council received legal advice that this land was also classified as community land and recommended that Council reclassify the land. But once again Council acted against professional advice.”

Another of the concerns is over Council’s acceptance of the proposal from Huscorp. “This was after the expression of interest process had closed and seemed to give preferential treatment to Huscorp over other developers and, as reported by the South Coast Register in March, at a considerably lower price than others had offered to pay. This is similar to favourable treatment Huscorp have received in Huskisson with the sale of the public car park at well below market value and support for waterfront developments that do not comply with planning policies and standards.”

“There is no suggestion of any improper behaviour on behalf of the developer,” said Mr Fergusson, who is standing with the support of the Shoalhaven Action Campaign. “It is Mayor Greg Watson’s Shoalhaven Independent Group voting block in Council’s performance that demands close scrutiny. Either there was gross incompetence or an attempt to circumvent process. The problems should have been obvious and again reflects a consistent pattern of avoiding engagement with the community in an open and consultative process. It’s easier to ignore community views if you don’t ask for them”.