The Pemulwuy Project, a $50 million plan for 62 houses, a
gym and an elders’ centre, is on hold because the not-for-profit housing
company says it cannot afford the processing fee.
“We are a charitable organisation and we don’t receive
any money from the Government,” said the head of the Aboriginal Housing
Company, Mick Mundine. “We don’t understand why they need $60,000 just to
look at our DA, but they wrote back saying they won’t let us off the fee.”
The company’s project manager, Peter
Valilis, said money could not be raised from investors until
the the development application was passed.
“Frank Sartor
is a guy who just does not want this new complex to go ahead,” said Mr
Valilis, who added that the company would refuse to pay the fee.
“It is really just a stand-off. They have said they
will not do an assessment on the project until they get their money, so it
could sit there indefinitely.”
Mr Sartor has argued that the Pemulwuy Project is too big
and that 62 houses is too many for the Block, which is private land owned by
the Aboriginal Housing Company.
He attracted controversy in 2005 when he said Mr Mundine
should “bring your black arse” down to his office to discuss plans
for the Block. Mr Sartor apologised.
A spokesman for the Planning Department said the Aboriginal
Housing Company was being treated like any other applicant.
“The fees to be charged by the Department of Planning
for the assessment of development proposals are prescribed by the Environmental
Planning and Assessment Regulation. As such, the department charges proponents
these fees, including other state agencies such as the Department of Housing
and the Department of Health.”
Processing fees cover the department’s work assessing proposals,
public exhibition and notification, consulting other agencies and presenting an
assessment report for the minister.
The spokesman said the Planning Department was awaiting more
information from the Aboriginal Housing Company, such as the final investment
value of the project.
“While the Aboriginal Housing Company has now provided
the Department with most of the information requested, the proposal is not able
to proceed to public exhibition until these last remaining critical pieces of
information are provided.”
Photo: Stand-off … the site for which 62 houses are proposed.
Source
www.smh.com.au/news/national/fee-too-much-for-block-project/2008/05/19/1211182703338.html