Hills Shire Mayor Andrew Jefferies said that Council resolved not to continue with a plan to rezone the Park to a business zoning following local community concerns. The park will retain its current RE1 Recreational Zone.
“We have listened to community concerns and have resolved to retain the recreational zoning at Bella Vista Farm Park whilst allowing for additional commercial uses, provided they are compatible with the heritage nature of the site,” Mayor Jeffries said.
Any permanent structure proposed for the site will be restricted by a two-storey height limit, a limited floor space ratio and a range of stringent heritage controls.
“Not only will any proposed structure have to satisfy Council’s standards but it will also have to be approved by the NSW Heritage Council.”
Mayor Jefferies said that while he acknowledged the concerns raised by members of the community, he was disappointed by some of the allegations made through social media.
“It was disappointing to learn that certain individuals were suggesting that Council planned to sell the Farm, demolish the heritage homestead or that Councillors had sinister motives when making this decision. Those accusations were totally baseless,” he said.
“We’ve always envisaged that a commercial enterprise would assist to generate revenue to be invested back into the Farm and this has been acknowledged by the Chairman of the Friends.”
Three Labor and one Liberal Councillor voted against the compromise resolution.
