Controversial boundary, suburb names changes awaiting approval

Blacktown City is likely to be home to six new suburbs after councillors voted to push ahead with the council’s controversial proposal this week.

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Blacktown councillors have agreed to push ahead with new suburb name and boundary changes in the region’s northwest.

Pending approval from the Geographical Names Board, Blacktown City will have six new suburbs after councillors voted at Wednesday night’s meeting to endorse the council’s proposal following public consultations last year.

The proposed boundaries of new and altered suburbs in Blacktown city. Picture: Geographical Names Board

The vote marked a final step in the council’s proposal to alter the boundaries of Marsden Park, Schofields, Riverstone, Rouse Hill, Vineyard, Quakers Hill and Shanes Park to make way for new suburbs Melonba, Angus, Richards, Kwigan, Wran and Lynch.

After reviewing public feedback received by the names board, the council found there was “insufficient justification” in the submissions to warrant a change to the proposed names and boundary alterations.

Despite heated debate, councillors voted in support of a recommendation from the council to proceed with the changes.

Councillor Peter Camilleri, whose ward includes several impacted suburbs, spoke out against the proposal, highlighting issues with the proposed names of Lynch, Wran and Kwigan.

Blacktown councillor Peter Camilleri has hit out at the council’s proposed suburb name and boundary changes in the northwest.

The names recognise former NSW Premier Labor premier Neville Wran, former Blacktown Mayor Jim Lynch and the parents of Anita Cobby, Grace and Garry Lynch.

The suburb of Kwigan would derive its name from an Indigenous shrub found in the area.

Cr Camilleri was not convinced the names had received adequate support from the community and were “politically motivated”.

“We are here to represent the community, not our parties,” Cr Camilleri said.

“If they were not political names, we would not be discussing it.

“I ask councillors to reconsider and not support this recommendation.”

Cr Linda Santos also voiced her objections to the names and questioned the public consultation process.

“I am still hearing from residents objecting the naming of these suburbs,” Cr Santos said.

“There are a lot of unhappy people outside in the community and I suggest we review these changes and avoid any political affiliation.”

Deputy Mayor Tony Bleasdale supported the changes and said consultation with residents in the affected suburbs had been “exhaustive”.

“Let’s recognise these sons of Blacktown,” Cr Bleasdale said of Neville Wran and Jim Lynch.

“I haven’t got a problem in naming suburbs after these people.”

Speaking to the Advocate, Mayor Stephen Bali said it was necessary to make the changes due to the region’s booming population.

Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali said the suburb changes were necessary to prepare for the region’s population growth. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“We need to rezone areas for new suburb names for the primary reason the names board has guidelines as far as the maximum numbers for suburbs,” Cr Bali said.

“It’s really important that suburbs are workable and identifiable and smaller in nature so the community can identify easier.

“The names that have been identified have been thought about and we’ve gone to the names board and they don’t have any problems whatsoever with any of the names.

“We listened to the people in the new estates and it’s ideal we do this now before more people move in.”

The names board received close to 400 submissions from the public during community consultations, with 356 of these objecting to the proposal.

The suburbs of Wran, Lynch and Kwigan proved the most controversial.

Residents in Marsden Park’s Elara estate pictured in 2017. Many expressed their concerns over changes to Marsden Park boundaries for the new suburb of Lynch. Picture: Justin Sanson

More than 6000 residents took part in consultations with the council in 2017 — the largest response to a proposal from the council.

The main issues raised included a potential negative impact on property values, political motivations behind the names and potential negative associations.

In council’s recommendations to the names board, it acknowledged that it was “unlikely” a consensus would be achieved among the more than 15,000 landowners in the affected suburbs.

The council was required to amend its initial proposal after the names board rejected the suburb names of North Marsden Park and Grevillea Grove. It also required adjustments to the boundaries of Angus and Lynch.

WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN FOR YOU

Melonba: New suburb comprising part of the existing suburb of Marsden Park. Should the names board rule against the name, the council will put forward Woorong Park as an alternative.

Angus: New suburb comprising parts of the existing suburbs of Marsden Park and Riverstone.

Richards: New suburb comprising parts of the existing suburbs of Riverstone and Vineyard.

Lynch: New suburb comprising part of the existing suburb of Schofields.

Kwigan: New suburb comprising part of the existing suburb of Riverstone.

Wran: New suburb comprising part of the existing suburbs of Schofields and Rouse Hill.