Campbelltown Council, St Ignatius College land swap shut down

After a drawn out battle that left a resident in hospital with a gammy heart – which doctors say was caused by stress – a controversial council move has been shut down.

An ambitious and controversial plan by a northeastern council to gift prime real estate to a prestigious college has fallen flat following community outrage.

Following a council meeting earlier this week, plans initiated by the City of Campbelltown to handover Manresa Court to St Ignatius College has been voted down.

Council staff recommended the plan be felled at the knees following overwhelmingly negative community consultation.

The Advertiser has three times requested comment from the council and chief executive Paul Di Iulio, but no response has been forthcoming.

A statement on the council’s website, attributed to Mr Di Iulio, explained how the move had fallen flat given a “lack of overall support for the land swap proposal in its current form”.

Campbelltown Council chief executive Paul Di Iulio.

Mr Di Iulio wrote, however, the council would continue to explore options to acquire privately owned sections of Fifth Creek, a popular walking track that was part of the land included in the swap.

The proposal ignited several members of the community, with one opponent, Daryl Reid, rushed to hospital with what he says was a heart attack induced by the stress he felt under trying to shut down the plan.

The proposal was first discussed, confidentially, by council on March 15 before consultation was distributed to just 12 houses – those which use a road by necessity to access their homes.

Consultation was then opened up on a larger scale.

That second round of consultation resulted in a petition of 57 signatories opposing the swap and 60 per cent of respondents to a council issued survey either “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied” with the proposal.

Darryl Reid with fellow concerned residents. Picture: Brinley Duggan

A portion of Fifth Creek which was part of the proposed land swap. Picture: Brinley Duggan

Mr Di Iulio did not answer if the council would review its consultation process following the plan’s failure.

He also did not answer how much ratepayer money was spent on the failed move.

Vocal opponent Jackie Miers rejoiced in the news the swap was off the table.

“It was a long and arduous battle that we didn’t think we were going to win,” she said.

“In the end, we don’t know what made the staff totally change tactics, but when we saw the agenda … we discovered that the staff recommended that council not proceed with the swap.

“We couldn’t believe our eyes.”

The council also moved to inform the college the swap would not go ahead and there would be no further action taken in relation to a land swap.