Woolworths taking Council to Land & Environment Court
In a disappointing but not unexpected move, Woolworths is challenging the Mosman Local Planning Panel’s recent decision to refuse its development application for a Metro supermarket in Mosman village.
By appealing to the NSW Land & Environment Court, Woolworths is using its deep pockets to ignore overwhelming community opposition and dispute the local independent umpire’s unanimous rejection of its unsuitable and inadequate development proposal.
The MLPP determined that the proposed development:
- fails to satisfy the Aims of the Mosman Local Environmental Plan 2012
- fails to satisfy the Aims of the Business Centres Development Control Plan 2012
- is unsuitable having regard to the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
- has inadequate provision for parking
- has adverse outcomes for pedestrian safety
- is contrary to the public interest
Despite the unequivocal judgement of the MLPP and the sustained opposition of the community, Woolworths continues to assert that its proposal “is consistent with the planning framework” and “will make a positive contribution to the area”.
We expect Council to vigorously defend the MLPP’s decision.
We’ll keep you posted as the lengthy and complex process of the appeal plays out.
In the meantime we remain hopeful that Woolworths comes to its senses and acknowledges that it is throwing good money after bad on an ill-conceived project on a totally inappropriate site, all the while further damaging its reputation and losing the goodwill of the community and its current and prospective customers.