A recommendation to endorse, as exhibited, a planning proposal and its amendment to the Cabonne Local Environmental Plan 2012 which would allow for development of a block of land in Canowindra has been rejected. Canowindra based councillors Jenny Weaver, Andrew Pull and Kathryn O'Ryan all spoke against the proposal at the November 28 meeting of Cabonne Council. The objective of the Planning Proposal was to amend the Cabonne Local Environmental Plan 2012 to rezone the subject property from a R5 Large Lot Residential zone to R1 General Residential zone for the purposes of future urban residential growth within the town of Canowindra. The land borders Longs Corner Road and Tilga Street. Council had been presented with a concept which would subdivide the land into 21 blocks. "People are really angry," Cr Jenny Weaver said. Placed on public exhibition the proposal received 13 submissions from Canowindra residents. Before councillors voted on the proposal Cabonne Council's Development Services Department leader Richard Pamplin told the meeting the council had before it "just a concept to show how it could be sub divided". "When you get to a DA it may or may not look like that," Mr Pamplin said. He added council staff "haven't come across anything here that we wouldn't develop it with". "We're not saying they're going to get as many lots as they've shown on the map here but (staff) haven't come across an issue of not rezoning it. "From a professional point of view as a planner there is nothing saying we shouldn't allow it to proceed to the next stage. "It doesn't mean they're going to get what they've asked for. "That would be subject to another assessment down the track," Mr Pamplin said. Cr Weaver told the meeting, "a lot of people built in that area for a specific reason, and that was to have room around their place". "I know this isn't an application to build 21 houses on that block but you're opening up the opportunity to do that. "In hindsight looking at it and knowing that block of land it shouldn't be divided up into any more than three blocks," Cr Weaver said. Fellow Canowindra councillor, Cr Andrew Pull told the meeting "If the DA came in and there were three houses on that block I'd certainly support it but I'm voting against it today".
