Councillors have tonight voted in favour of a Development Application for a Place of Public Worship in Kemps Creek.
At a marathon Council meeting, the DA was eventually approved with special conditions eight votes to five.
The Development Application, submitted by the Muhammadi Welfare Association, is for the construction of two buildings, associated onsite parking and landscaping.
The site on Clifton Avenue is currently vacant.
The Development Application was advertised, notified and placed on public exhibition on two occasions, firstly from November 18 2013 to December 2 2013 and again from September 29 2014 to October 13 2014.
The second occasion was to clarify that the proposal most closely represented a Place of Public Worship as defined in LEP 2010, as it was originally described by the application as a meeting hall, carpark, outbuilding and wastewater system.
Council received four letters from the residents during the first exhibition and one received during the second exhibition. The main concerns raised in the submissions relate to increase in traffic, poor road condition and its capacity and potential noise from the proposed development.
Hundreds of residents were on hand at tonight’s Council meeting – some supporting the DA, others opposing it. Mayor Ross Fowler had to kick one man out of the meeting after he disrupted proceedings by shouting from the public gallery.
Councillors Prue Car, Greg Davies, John Thain, Karen McKeown, Michelle Tormey, Tricia Hitchen, Bernard Bratusa and Ross Fowler all voted in favour of the DA, after a lengthy debate.
Councillors Kevin Crameri, Maurice Girotto, Mark Davies, Ben Goldfinch and Marcus Cornish voted against the DA.
Councillors Jim Aitken and Jackie Greenow were not at tonight’s meeting.
Councillor Cornish called for a vote of no confidence in Mayor Ross Fowler but it failed as he did not have a seconder.
