Cr Larry Whipper and Cr Malcolm Murray put forward the motion in response to residents’ concerns over high-density over 55s developments, in particular the proposed 190-bed Australand/Australian unity retirement village at the former Our Lady and Sacred Hearts (OLSH) site in Centennial Road, Bowral, and a new 62-bed retirement village at the adjoining property, “Neerim”.

A development application has also been lodged for a 138-dwelling Seniors Living development at the former Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School (SCEGGS) site at Suttor Road, Moss Vale.

Council will request an urgent meeting with the Director General of the Department of Planning to seek an immediate moratorium on new Seniors Living developments until the new shire-wide Local Environmental Plan (LEP) is gazetted.

Cr Murray said developers had time and time again used the Seniors Living policy to breach council’s LEP.

“What the community wants in this particular area is constantly over-ridden by the Seniors Living policy and it is wrong,” he said.

“It is an unfair policy. It is an irrational policy and it is a policy that is just not welcome in the community,” he said.

Cr Murray said a complete review of the State Government’s Seniors Living Policy was needed, in particular the classification of anyone over 55 years of age as senior.

“The concept that 55 is some magic age where you start to retire is becoming more and more irrelevant,” he said.

“People are not retiring at 55 - they cannot afford to.”

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Friday, July 25