Newcastle Councillors say they are powerless to stop a controversial boarding house development from going ahead at Waratah.
19 people will be crammed into the single-storey cottage on Turton Road.
Council last night voted 5 to 4 in favour of the plan, but many councillors say they're hamstrung by affordable housing laws, which override local planning guidelines.
Council is bound to approve applications which comply with state-imposed planning laws.
