PlanningAlerts

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1. I object strenuously to this DA. There is absolutely no need for yet another chain-store development in Katoomba. There is already a Coles, a Target and that hideously overdeveloped unfinished pile of concrete right in the centre of town which has no relationship or bearing to the nature of its site or its stunning environment. There is already an excellent hardware store over the road (Home), at least one small family business in town, and another in Blackheath, and probably others in Leura or nearby. We do not want this kind of development for Katoomba which should be the jewel in the crown of the emerging Blue Mountains environment which will be serving as the main escape route and new base for everyone who is sick of the ghastliness of Sydney with the chain stores, traffic, horrible development everywhere and lack of local identity. And there is already a Bunnings in the mid/lower mountains. So what is to be done with the land - a pretty piece of pastureland with a few horses in it? Given that it is already in a designated "industrial zone" it could be developed as a site for small-scale local industries: building, ceramics, carpentry, bespoke furniture production, with a mix of large studio/gallery spaces for working artists, sculptors and the like. Right now there is nothing in the area to meet these needs. The site could be developed further to include something like community gardens and demonstration sustainability projects (small sustainable buildings for instance which might be used as examples for those interested in building in the mountains). Who would pay? Without knowing what the site value is it is impossible to know what kinds of acquisitions costs are involved, but maybe there would be some capacity for a mixed fund between Council and local investors including some "crowd funding". In any case, there is no need for any more chainstore developments in Katoomba and there never should be. It should be the central exemplar for a new kind of peri-urban sustainable development not yet another site for large scale chain-store greed for an over-bloated bursting Western Sydney. I have made no donation to anybody and have no association with any of the businesses mentioned above.

2. I welcome a NEW Bunnings. Consider Home Hardware are owned by Woolworths. Competition is great.

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