Family of Tea Tree Gully councillor Paul Barbaro abandons attempt to sell land at Golden Grove
THE family of a mayoral candidate has abandoned attempts to sell a large block of land in the Hills Face Zone for housing. The move came the day after The Advertiser asked questions about why it had been wrongly advertised for residential development.
THE family of a mayoral candidate has abandoned attempts to sell a large block of land for housing near a closed road he has been campaigning to have reopened.
Tea Tree Gully Council had been investigating how 53 hectares within the Hills Face Zone owned by two companies – one run by the brother of Tea Tree Gully councillor Paul Barbaro – was being marketed as a potential subdivision with 700 housing lots, despite residential development being prohibited.
A real estate agent last week was cautioned about online claims that the land – located at Golden Grove between Para Valley Rd and One Tree Hill Rd – was a “53ha residential site” next to land “currently under rezoning”.
The council investigation came amid calls by Cr Barbaro for the reopening of a nearby road controversially closed to allow delivery trucks to reverse into a new shopping centre built on the outskirts of Golden Grove, The Stables.
Cr Barbaro told The Advertiser last Thursday his campaign to reopen Crouch Rd between One Tree Hill Rd and Golden Grove Rd “had absolutely nothing to do” with the attempt to sell the land.
Century 21 sales manager James Carr emailed Tea Tree Gully Council chief executive John Moyle last Friday advising him he had received instructions to withdraw the property from sale.
“(Our vendors) have advised us of discrepancies in the advertising and it is now withdrawn from sale,” he said. “We regret any inconvenience that may have been caused.”
The development followed inquiries by The Advertiser which showed the land – valued at $990,000 — was bought for $1.25 million by two companies, Golden Estate Vineyards Pty Ltd, and Star Digicom Pty Ltd in July, 2013.
Company searches show the sole director of Golden Estate Vineyards is Saverio Barbaro, while its shareholders are three other relatives of Cr Barbaro, including a nephew – Campbelltown Council member Cr Domenic Barbaro. He referred questions last week to his uncle.
Cr Paul Barbaro said he only became involved with the campaign to reopen Crouch Rd when residents recently told him they feared they could be trapped in another fire near Golden Grove on the scale of Sampson Flat in 2015.
Cr Barbaro said residents raised concerns about not being able to escape a fire while he was door knocking as part of his election campaign to replace Tea Tree Gully mayor Kevin Knight.
Cr Barbaro said his support to reopen Crouch Rd – which he voted to close in May, 2013, along with Mr Knight, local Steventon Ward councillor Lucas Jones and five other councillors including current Drumminor Ward representative Matthew Harbinson – could not be connected to the sale of the Golden Grove land.
“What my brother does with his land is his business,” he said. “He has had it on the market for years. It has absolutely nothing to do with me.”
Cr Barbaro said he had regularly been the target of unfounded accusations and personal attacks during his 12 years on council.
“People will try smearing me with innuendos but I’ve got nothing to hide,” he said.
“Let them go their hardest and do what they want to do. I have nothing to fear. It’s the residents who have been calling for Crouch Rd to be reopened in good faith.
“I have just been supporting them in the interests of community safety in a bushfire.”
Asked if the reopening of Crouch Rd would have any beneficial impact on the value of the land, Cr Barbaro said it was “something I am unqualified to state nor have any interest (in) either way”.
“In my view it appears highly unfair to be associated in any way with the owners and their property,” he said.
Council staff have prepared a preliminary report on the land for elected members at their fortnightly meeting on Tuesday night.