Shoalhaven City Council says it has offered The Anglican Schools Corporation a fast-tracked development application process for the re-subdivision of Milton's GumNuts Pre-Kinder from the main school site.
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A spokesperson for the Shoalhaven City Council Planning Group responded on Thursday, November 2, to comments made by Special Advisor to the CEO of The Anglican Schools Corporation, Jack Chalmers, who refused to be drawn on when the promised DA would be submitted to Council.
This is all achievable.
- Spokesperson, Shoalhaven City Council Planning Group
The Corporation announced it would close the popular preschool via a letter to parents and carers in August but agreed to work with the Save Gumnuts parents committee to subdivide the land. This would allow for a new buyer/operator to purchase the land and keep the centre open.
The DA will be submitted when we receive the required documentation. The timing of that is out of my hands.
- Special Advisor, Jack Chalmers
On Thursday, October 5 the Corporation's CEO Ross Smith said that architect plans had been received and reviewed and a consultant had been tasked with the job of submitting the development application to Council for approval.
However, when approached for an update on Monday, October 31, Mr Chalmers blamed the Rural Fire Service for the hold up.
“The DA will be submitted when we receive the required documentation. The timing of that is out of my hands, so I cannot give definite timing. I previously gave my best estimate ... so I will no longer speculate on the time it will take unrelated parties to respond,” he said.
But the Council spokesperson has advised that a DA is not dependant on RFS documentation.
Council has already spoken with RFS ... they are happy to waive the requirement for a bush fire report and if notified they would fast track the concurrence and fire safety authority.
- Spokesperson, Shoalhaven City Council Planning Group
“Council has provided Anglican Schools Corporation (ASC) with verbal and written advice that they can lodge a development application for the re-subdivision of the preschool off the main school site. This application has not yet been submitted to Council,” a Council spokesperson said.
Families of 80 children seeking alternative early childhood placements say schools across the region are at capacity. And some working parents face the very real prospect of quitting work in 2018 as a result.
“A very small part of the school site is mapped as bush fire prone land, however, Council has already spoken with RFS and although the development would be classified as integrated they have stated in an email that they are happy to waive the requirement for a bush fire report and if notified they would fast track the concurrence and fire safety authority,” a spokesperson for the Shoalhaven City Council Planning Group said.
The Anglican Schools Corporation was advised by Council that it would need to reinstate the parking and drop-off areas that front Croobyar Road, which were removed when the lot was consolidated into the school. One parking space would also need to meet accessible requirements.
“This is all achievable and will be considered as part of any approval provided,” the spokesperson said.
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