Councillors do the Noble thing
THE decision on the expansion of a development at Kingscliff has been deferred until after the council elections in September.
The 32-homesite development application at Noble Lakeside was being considered at the Tweed Shire Council meeting on Tuesday.
In a vote split 3-3 and with a casting vote from Mayor Barry Longland, it was decided to defer the vote until after the council elections for councillors to visit the site to evaluate the flooding risk.
Councillor Warren Polglase declared a pecuniary interest in the development and left the chamber for the debate and vote.
Cr Longland said his decision to defer the vote was based on timing of the application coming before the council.
"(I support deferral) on the basis of the spirit of the caretaker period," Cr Longland said.
"This is controversial and we have received a lot of objections to the proposal."
In the report to the council, Tweed Shire officers recommended approval of the application.
Joan van Lieshout said the application had been in front of the council long enough and a decision was necessary.
"This is our responsibility," she said. "If you haven't been out to the site in the past four years then shame on you."
The NSW Government's Joint Regional Planning Panel originally refused the application for more home sites at Noble Lakeside despite the council's recommendation to approve the development.
