Councils should meet over Gladesville plan

I WAS shocked to read the article ‘Councils in dispute over the Gladesville upgrade’ in TWT last week and it has prompted me to write the following.

Hunters Hill councillors have not been shown anything that Ryde City Council has proposed for any of the street furniture treatment of Gladesville shopping centre.

However, Hunters Hill councillors have seen and reviewed the Hunters Hill policy regarding outside street furniture.

The suggestion by Clr Bill Pickering, to arrange a meeting between parties ASAP, is the common sense approach and should not be denied by Hunters Hill Council or Ryde City Council providing, committee councillors were in attendance.

The attitude of some of Ryde councillors towards Hunters Hill is quite alarming and words were spoken, possibly in haste, from fabricated information with very little substance, insight and knowledge of what Gladesville or Hunters Hill is all about, or being aware of the existence of a flawed Development Control Plan.

For example comments by Clr Nicole Campbell referring to Hunters Hill as “cheap and nasty”, “high residential rates”, “can’t afford it”, “promises to businesses” etc. (and I could go on) are quite absurd, unjustified, unfounded, and lack substance or proof.
It is common knowledge (other than media talk) that Ryde rates are much higher than Hunters Hill in regard to real estate value of property, both residential and indeed commercial.

For example, a Ryde two-bed unit worth $409,000 will cost $760 pa in council rates and a similar Hunters Hill unit worth $438,000 will cost $712 pa.