By Michael Burt
Bellingen Shire Councillors voted not to support a revised planning agreement for the Heartwood Community development proposal for land at the end of Endeavour Drive.
The proponents now have three months to respond to conditions recommended by the Council’s planning department, including funding for a footpath extension and addressing concerns about zone and lot size selection.
The latest Planning Proposal seeks an amendment to the Bellingen Local Environmental Plan 2010 (‘LEP 2010’) to enable a residential subdivision comprising 83 residential lots within the Heartwood Community development (subject to a Development Application approval).
It also includes the creation of a 57.9 ha Conservation Zone to be known as the Heartwood Forest. The Heartwood Forest represents 77% of the land and would be zoned C2 Environmental Conservation.
Council’s Senior Strategic Planner, Daniel Bennett, recommended Councillors not support the proposal due to lack of footpath connectivity from the site to Crown Street.
“There is a consistent theme we see in community consultation regarding the importance of pedestrian linkages to town,” Mr Bennett said.
Mr Bennett said there were also some concerns about proposed lots on steep land.
Councillors also agreed that the proponents address zone and lot size selection and additional concerns expressed around waste disposal and water supply.
“I believe the proposal, as currently submitted, does not adequately address a number of important infrastructure and planning matters, the footpath being one of them,” said Mayor Steve Allan.
“It is entirely reasonable that Council seek an agreement from the proponents to fund the proposed footpath connection.”
Mayor Allan said the council vote does not close the door on the Community Title development.
“It should not be seen as opposition to housing growth itself, but rather a recognition that a new development must be properly planned, services and integrated into the community.”
The land is identified in the Bellingen Shire Local Housing Strategy 2020-2040 that was adopted by Council in January 2020. It is zoned RU1 Primary Production and C3 Environmental Management with a minimum lot size for dwellings and subdivision of 200 ha.
The land is an existing holding with one dwelling entitlement and has frontage to Endeavour Drive to the north, Hill Street to the west and Nobles Lane to the south east.
A former proposal to permit Community Title Subdivision on the land zoned as C4 was unanimously endorsed by Council in April 2021 and passed through the Gateway Determination from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) in June 2021.
It was temporarily withdrawn and returned this year with revised Community Title Lot arrangements to comply with NSW Rural Fire Service feedback and identification of high environmental value (HEV) land.
The Council will receive a further report on the proposal at the September 2026 Ordinary Meeting of Council.