The Meander Valley Council has spent more than $50,000 on the longstanding battle to establish a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in the municipality.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Teen Challenge Tasmania, a faith-based group, received planning approvals in 2016 to set up the Home of Hope rehab facility for women and children on the site of the old Meander Primary School.
But the proposal ignited a long-running stoush in the local community, with some residents arguing that such a program would need to be medically based and that the location was inappropriate.
In other news:
After appeals in the Resource Management and Appeals Tribunal and the Supreme Court of Tasmania, Teen Challenge announced on Wednesday that it would be abandoning the original site and searching for an alternative.
In response to a question from a member of the public at Tuesday's council meeting, general manager John Jordan said the council had spent $56,501.34 (including GST) on external costs associated with the planning application appeal. This included money spent on legal representation.
Mayor Wayne Johnston said he was disappointed the rehab centre had "polarised" the community but added that a "small group" had "pursued a war of attrition".
RELATED:
He said Teen Challenge retained a lease on the site, as well as options.
The Meander Area Ratepayers and Residents Association, which spearheaded the campaign against Teen Challenge, said it had incurred $160,000 in legal fees in the ongoing dispute.
"We find the Meander Valley Council figures questionable," MARRA president Bodhi McSweeney said.
Sign up to one of our newsletters: