Renewed calls for government investment in Maitland

BY JARROD MELMETH and JESSICA ROUSE

Following the approval of 247 housing lots at Thornton and Louth Park there have been renewed calls for the State Government to invest in the area.

The developments and their applications across the two suburbs were approved at Tuesday's Maitland Council Meeting just weeks after 511 lots were approved for Defence Housing, also in Thornton.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison believes the approval of more housing developments goes to the very heart of why the State Government must invest in more infrastructure in the area, particularly in schools.

"We need to ensure that the government comes good on infrastructure. The government needs to invest in Maitland in schools and education in order to make sure these people who come to Maitland have adequate facilities," said MP Jenny Aitchison.

Census data shows there was a two percent population increase in Maitland between 2011 and 2016 with the numbers only going up. Maitland was also identified as a high growth area being the fastest growing outside of the Sydney metropolitan area.

MP Jenny Aitchison says the lack of housing affordability in Sydney, Newcastle and in other major centres, is pushing people to come to Maitland instead where there's relatively low cost housing compared to a lot of these areas.

"The development approved goes to the very heart of why we need this new hospital, why we need the government to be investing in schools. We will be working to get new schools into Maitland to get expansion of our existing schools to cope with that demand."

Maitland population set to grow even further

BY JARROD MELMETH

Maitland's population is set to grow even further following council's approval of two development applications for 247 lots across Thornton and Louth Park at Tuesday night's council meeting.

According to the latest census data, Maitland's population exceeds 77,000 residents, which is a two percent increase from the 2011 census results.

The approval of more residential housing comes just weeks after Maitland Council approved a housing development application from Defence Housing Australia known as Wirraway, which features 511 housing lots in Thornton.

An application for a 71 lot residential subdivision within the North Urban Release Area, with associated stormwater infrastructure at 508 Raymond Terrace Road was lodged by Paradigm Planning and Development was originally lodged with council along with a proposed new intersection onto Raymond Terrace Road.

Council's report shows two submissions were received during the public notification period in objection to the proposed development saying "a landowner opposite the subject site objects to the development on the grounds of traffic impacts and the intersection design; and the other from the adjoining landowner to the west who objects to the development on the grounds of the location of the road connection between the two sites". The report says the issues have been addressed in the report.

At Louth Park, Valhalla Investments lodged an application to develop the existing two lot land into 176 lots for housing on Dagworth Road, which has been identified as a bushfire prone, gazetted within a proclaimed Mine Subsidence District and subject to flooding.

Maitland Council's Manager for Development and Environment said although the sites are prone to fire, mine subsidence and flooding, the development area has passed all the required assessments.

"There are areas around Louth Park that are subject to flooding, much like most parts of Maitland but, those issues have been well planned for and evacuation routes are sound for this particular subdivision.

"Mine subsidence does have a role to play in the approval of structures, having said that the Mine Subsidence Board have signed off on the principle of residential development.

Mr Simm believes the release of the land is a step towards addressing the population growth of the region.

"The population growth and the number of residential lots released over the past five to seven years demonstrate the demand for housing in the Maitland area," Mr Simm said.

Development site for 71 houses at Raymond Terrace Road, Thornton.

Development site for 176 houses at Dagworth Road, Louth Park.

Louth Park Prayer Room Rejected

BY IAN CROUCH

Maitland Council hasn't wasted any time rejecting a Muslim prayer room at Louth Park.

Councillors spent less than 10 minutes last night considering the development application before rejecting it on planning grounds, mainly because it was going to operate from 5am until 7pm, 7 days a week.

Nearby residents say they're not against a place of worship, however this proposal was in the wrong location.

Concerned Residents Discuss The Proposal At A Public Meeting In December Last Year Photo Courtesy Maitland Mercury