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Wollondilly mayor Judith Hannan has blasted Wisdom Homes after the local building company criticised the council’s support of growth in the area. Gregory Hills-based Wisdom Homes released a statement this week calling on Wollondilly Council to “stop objecting to the state government’s plans for future development and to accept growth within the shire”. Cr Hannan said the council’s decisions regarding growth were based on what best served the community. “We’re not motivated by monetary reasons but by what is best for the people in our region,” she said. Wisdom Homes general manager Mark Scully said Wollondilly would not receive vital services and infrastructure if growth did not come to the region. “It is good for the council to seek new facilities including hospitals and train services but at the end of the day it is the state government that make these decisions with funding from state tax payers,” he said. “The state government will prioritise these investments based on where population growth is occurring. “None of these services will come to Wollondilly if growth stalls and that now seems likely given the council’s current position on the matter. “Growth in the shire can be a positive thing and I encourage Wollondilly Council to take a leadership role rather than a defensive one.” Cr Hannan strongly disagreed with Mr Scully’s sentiment. “Wollondilly Council is not anti-development,” she said. “We just don’t like some of the decisions regarding development that have been made so far. “If someone could tell us just how many people or homes it takes to get the right infrastructure that would be great – but no one will tell us what that number is.” Cr Hannan said it was not Wisdom Homes’ place to tell the council what it should and should not be doing. “How would they like us to tell them how to build their homes,” she said. Mr Scully’s comments after Wollondilly councillors debated at the last council meeting whether or not to ask the applicants of three large housing estate proposals to withdraw their applications. The matter was deferred. Earlier this year Wollondilly Council withdrew ‘in principle’ support of the massive Wilton New Town development until vital planning matters – such as public transport and koala protection – could be satisfactorily addressed. Wisdom Homes established a headquarters in Gregory Hills last year. Many of the company’s staff and contractors live and work in Macarthur.

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