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"Council Fears Having Fewer Controls," November 2005

Residents will have no control over what is built in their street under proposed changes to local environment plans, according to a Hurstville Council report.

Under the changes councils would have fewer controls over the location of brothels and sex shops, and no control over medium-density developments being built in streets of single dwellings.

The proposals by DIPNR (Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources) call for a "template" for Local Environment Plans (LEPs) for all councils.

This includes a menu of standardised zones for councils including a residential living zone divided in rural living, lower density, higher density and township.

The council report said the lower-density zone permits all forms of medium-density housing and does not mention single dwelling houses only zone.

Councils will be able to add to, but not delete from, the specified land uses for each zone.

"This is the key point because it makes politically sensitive uses mandatory," the report said.

"It appears the living zone will permit a broad range of uses within the zone such as shops, places of worship, educational establishments. While these uses are normally compatible with residential dwellings, current practice allows their specific location to be controlled."

"This give residents certainty as to what is likely to occur near them in the future. This certainly would be removed and would likely result in greater resident objection."

Councils may also have very few controls over the location of brothels and sex shops, the report added. It recommended that the number of proposed zones need to be expanded to reflect the complexity and diversity.

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