Vincentia resident and vocal opponent to the $360 million Shaolin tourism complex at Comberton Grange Judy Gjedsted said the Planning Assessment Commission’s decision was a win for those opposed to the development.
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“We have not won the war but we have won a battle,” she said.
“I’m pretty pleased with PAC’s decision and recommendations, it vindicates the concerns the community has had for a long time.
“I think PAC got it [the development]. To a large extent they understood a lot. Maybe not everything but enough.”
She said she was happy about the removal of the golf course and the 300-lot housing development.
“I think [PAC] has given more consideration to the wildlife corridor but it is still a huge development,” she said.
“It will still have to be very carefully monitored.
“It was more commercial than people realised, whether these recommendations will lead to a stop we’ll have to wait and see.
“It will be interesting to see if the finance is still available and where we go to from here.”
She said the commission had added some technical things to protect the quality of the water and other aspects of the development.
“There are some great improvements which will make it less destructive than it might have been,” she said.
“It is odd the mayor says she is disappointed, but she has constantly referred to it as a temple rather than a housing development.
“The temple is coming so what is the problem?”
She said it was interesting council would no longer be able to deal with any of the development applications regarding the proposal.
Ms Gjedsted said she would continue to keep a close eye on the proposal.
“I’m in my 80s, I’ll probably be dead or go gaga,” she said.
South Coast MP Shelley Hancock says she agrees with the Planning Assessment Commission’s decision to delete the golf course and 300 residential blocks from the proposed Shaolin Temple Development at Falls Creek.
“Honestly, I think PAC has got it right,” Mrs Hancock said.
“If the Shaolin group walks away from this, they were never really committed to it.
“They have got everything else they wanted.
“And if they do walk, it will confirm it was a pseudo urban development.
“Quite a substantial development has been approved. I’m happy.
“It remains well-positioned to allow a substantial tourist development to occur at the location.
“It has still got a temple with residential accommodation, the Shaolin Martial Arts Training Centre, including the health and wellness centre, the four-star hotel and village centre.
“There are a number of substantial attractions and I don’t think PAC is being unfair at all.”
She said PAC determined the golf course could pose a risk to water quality in the long term.
“That was an issue residents raised,” she said.
“I also agree about the 300 homes deletion, which probably differs from [Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash]. I don’t think the 300 homes were integral to a tourism development.
“It is either an urban development or a tourist development and to me 300 homes looked like a residential development.
“PAC made this decision, not the government. The government is at arm’s length with the process, that’s why they appoint PAC.”
