Redbank’s development manager, Jock Douglas, is confident that Monday night’s extraordinary meeting called by Hawkesbury Council will not derail the company’s plans to progress their proposal to construct 300 - 350 new houses at Grose Vale.

“We view the upcoming meeting as a procedural formality and do not anticipate any new developments from our side,” Douglas told the Hawkesbury Post.

The meeting is an attempt by councillors who voted against the plan to allow more time for councillors and the public to consider the proposed housing development. At last week’s meeting, some councillors admitted they had not fully read the proposal documents before voting in favour of it, including new mayor Les Sheather.

The rezoning proposal affects 35.41 hectares on Grose Vale Road. It would see primary production land rezoned residential, adding to the 1,399 lots already approved for Redbank. The new plan would allow housing lots to be subdivided into sizes ranging from 375m² to 1,500m².

Hawkesbury Greens councillor Danielle Wheeler was highly critical of the plans.

“This planning proposal is the beginning of a new round of subdivision applications that will irrevocably change the rural character of the Hawkesbury. For it to be pushed through this close to Christmas, before the Redbank Creek Flood Study has been completed, with no start date on the Grose River or Richmond bridges, and with so little time for the community to read the documentation and make their views known, is really very poor form by those councillors voting for this motion,” Clr.Wheeler told the Hawkesbury Post.

“Hawkesbury is already on track to exceed our housing targets. This is not affordable housing, it’s not near transport, and it’s not what the community is telling us they want. It flies in the face of numerous State planning directions. It’s not our job to make developers happy. It’s our job to represent the community and do the best thing for the Hawkesbury,” she said.

At the Council meeting last week, the Liberal-Labor alliance, with the support of Mayor Sheather, pushed the plans through. Councillors voting in favour were Sheather, Liberal councillors Mike Creed - who is also the new Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Macquarie - Sarah McMahon, Paul Veigel, and Jill Reardon, alongside Labor councillor Amanda Kotlash. Opposing the proposal were Independents Nathan Zamprogno and Mary Lyons-Buckett, Clr. Wheeler, and Shane Djuric from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party. Independent councillor Eddie Dogramachi abstained from voting.

The approval has sparked widespread criticism from residents and community groups, who claim they were blindsided by the proposal. Hawkesbury Council reportedly gave just four days for public review and submissions.

In a statement to the Hawkesbury Post, Redbank said the new site willl integrate into the existing Redbank master planned development.

“The Redbank Expansion Area is set to offer between 300 and 350 new homes, addressing urgent housing needs in the Hawkesbury region while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability and community wellbeing,” Redbank said.

Despite these assurances, many residents strongly oppose the plans.

Resident Tony Buccini wrote on Facebook, “This is an absolute joke. Do any of those councillors travel the route along Grose Vale Road and deal with the absolute chaos trying to navigate your way to North Richmond before you even get to the bridge? Not to mention the eyesore that this development has created for what was a beautiful rural setting. Why would any person with a real understanding of this issue vote to see more of it? Our roads, schools, shopping centres - none of it can handle an increased population. Council, just stop ignoring the obvious!”

Another resident, Debbie Darlington, wrote, “What the hell! We don’t want any more houses here. Be prepared to lose all the trees along Grose Vale Road. They will cut them all down.”

Resident Gary Smith added, “This is a real nightmare. This beautiful area I have called home for over 25 years is doomed. The real issue now is we need more infrastructure such as a new bridge, as many have called out. But if we get that infrastructure, then even significantly more development will quickly follow. I am just glad we have those Independent councillors that nearly every meeting are focused on what is best for the community rather than the major parties that generally aren’t.”

Approximately 100 residents attended the December 10 meeting, while over 540 individuals submitted responses to a survey conducted by the community group Hawkesbury Environment Network (HEN). The survey revealed overwhelming opposition to the development, primarily citing concerns over inadequate infrastructure, traffic congestion, and issues related to flooding and fire.

Speaking before the council, a HEN representative said there was a lack of services west of the Hawkesbury River, including no hospital or ambulance access, while another resident detailed existing flood damage from Redbank Creek.

The meeting also saw heated debate among councillors. Clr. Wheeler proposed a motion to oppose the development outright, citing 11 specific concerns, including non-compliance with planning guidelines and potential public health risks. This motion was defeated. Clr. Lyons-Buckett moved to delay the decision, arguing that there had been insufficient time to review the reports. Despite support from Clr. Wheeler and other Independents, this motion also failed.

Clr Lyons-Buckett told the Hawkesbury Post that the proposal relies on outdated data and questioned whether such zoning aligned with Council’s strategic goals. “Redbank’s move to rezone the land was always expected despite earlier promises that no further lots would be sought,” Clr Lyons-Buckett said.

“...We submitted a rescission motion to give our fellow Councillors an opportunity to scrutinise the documentation in more detail, ask questions and listen to more community representation on this very important proposal,” she said.

The site of the proposed development forms part of the historically significant Yobarnie Keyline Farm. This site is tied to the innovative Keyline system developed by P.A. Yeomans, a pioneer in sustainable farming. 

Despite the opposition, the December 10 vote cleared the way for the proposal to proceed to a Gateway determination by the Department of Planning. Tomorrow night’s extraordinary meeting is the last opportunity for councillors to reconsider their stance.

Residents wishing to speak about the proposal at the meeting tomorrow night can find more information here: https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/_resources/forms/address-council-meeting.