SHOALHAVEN Mayor Joanna Gash remains confident the $360 million Shaolin tourism complex at Comberton Grange will go ahead.
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Cr Gash said she had spoken to Shaolin Foundation representative Patrick Pang a number of times since the Planning Assessment Commission approved the temple, Kung Fu training academy and tourist accommodation on Monday but rejected the proposal for the 300-home residential package and golf course.
“I have spoken to Patrick on numerous occasions in China and he wants to come here and talk to us about the project. I’m taking that as a positive,” Cr Gash said.
“He will be in the Shoalhaven on Monday to talk to us about the project.
“To me, the glass is more half full than half empty.”
Cr Gash said one point of discussion in Monday’s meeting would definitely be about payment to council.
“Of course we will discuss whether the project will go ahead or not and if it goes ahead, [the Shaolin Foundation] know the first account that needs to be paid is council,” Cr Gash said.
“We will discuss some of the points on how we could work with the existing plans and I’m looking forward to that.”
The Shaolin Foundation has only paid a $250,000 deposit and made $640,000 in interest payments on the $5 million land deal.
Cr Gash has previously said the project was a win-win for council, saying if the proposal went ahead council would receive the $5 million price tag for the land and if it didn’t go ahead, council would retain the deposit and interest payments, and still own the land.
“We could always take back the land and still go ahead and re-sell it,” she said.
