Last Thursday, May 17, the developer of the proposed manufactured housing estate at Kendall, Camden Heads Lifestyle Villages, held an ‘Information Drop-In Session’ at the Kendall Services Club.

Staging a mere drop-in session was a bit of a cop out. 

This was intended to be a public meeting according to the developer’s press release. But public meetings take a bit of courage, particularly if you’re aware the public that would attend is passionately opposed to this development.  

It’s better to limit any community consultation to a more manageable one-on-one affair.

Somehow Mayor Peta Pinson found over two hours of her valuable time to discuss the development with those who attended. 

What is particularly aggravating is that at the open public meeting held by the ratepayers of Kendall in October last year, not one councillor could find the time to attend.

They were each individually invited. The developer was personally invited to attend. 

But not one could find the time to attend our meeting. Apparently concerned ratepayers meetings are best avoided.

The ratepayers turned up in very large numbers and as a result over 100 letters of objection were submitted to council. 

In virtually every other council jurisdiction, manufactured housing estates are opposed as incompatible with the local infrastructure and local character.

Many arguments end up in the Land and Environment Court. They are not welcome developments in most council areas. 

Yet in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area we have not one, but now four approved MHE developments. The Kendall proposal will add yet another.  

In my estimation, this will result in over 900 overpriced manufactured houses in the council area, all clustered in their exclusive little resorts.

I don’t know of one other regional area which has given such support to MHEs. 

It would seem developers of these ugly incompatible housing estates may have problems elsewhere, but it seems our council will give them every assistance. Why?