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COUNCIL APPROVES BOMEN PLAN
The Daily Advertiser, 14 December 2009
THE Bomen Business Park is open for business.
Last night Wagga City Council approved the Bomen master plan, paving the way for staged industrial development estimated to last for more than 50 years.
Councillors were quick to calm Eunony Valley residents' concerns about industry springing up on their doorstep by saying each new business would have to pass strict environmental standards.
There was a large crowd in the council chambers, with more than 50 people attending to hear the decision before quietly leaving.
During the community consultation process there were several concerns raised by residents but the majority of councillors agreed that council staff had solved a large number of those issues.
The motion was approved seven votes to three with Ray Goodlass, Yvonne Braid and Lindsay Vidler voting against the master plan.
Councillor Rod Kendall spoke in favour of the master plan, saying it would provide thousands of job opportunities for the Riverina.
"The region expects Wagga to provide employment for our youth and developing Bomen will provide jobs for people from Ganmain to Temora and Gundagai for many years to come," he said.
"There is a perception that Bomen will be developed within a few years... that is a complete fallacy it will be a long drawn-out process to develop many of the areas."
Crs Goodlass and Braid spoke against the motion, saying it would endanger the pristine Eunony Valley environment and allowed too much development on the western side of the rail lines.
Council will now wait on the draft local environmental plan and development control plan before deciding on how the Bomen Business Park progresses.
By Ben Higgins
