Blacktown Council rejects brothel for Foundry Rd Seven Hills

BLACKTOWN Council has rejected a bid to build a brothel in Seven Hills but could face a legal battle of up to about $60,000 if the applicant challenges the decision.

The plan for a brothel has been rejected.

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BLACKTOWN Council has rejected a bid to open a 24-hour brothel at Seven Hills but could face a legal battle of up to about $60,000 if the applicant challenges the decision.

A report presented to councillors at their meeting on Wednesday night (July 27) recommended it approve the development at 7/13 Foundry Rd in the Seven Hills industrial estate.

But councillors instead decided to reject the application because it was not in the community’s interest.

The decision was made after the council heard from Sara Disanti, who owns one of the units in the industrial complex.

“We are worried about the families,” she said.

“We take children to see their dads at lunch time and they will see the brothel there. It’s not a very nice environment for the children.”

Ms Disanti said a strata bylaw passed in 2012 did not allow brothels to operate in the estate and she was also concerned the brothel would devalue properties.

Blacktown Council says it will incur expensive legal fees if the brothel is rejected.

Blacktown police also objected to the brothel, saying in a letter lodged with the council it could “attract an element of anti-social and criminal activity to the proposed business location”.

“Statistical data clearly shows that there is a correlation between criminal and anti-social activities to the presence of these types of establishments,” Blacktown local area commander Gary Merryweather said.

“I am of the view that the five already established brothels and related businesses are sufficient to service the area and as such I do not support additional brothels within the area.”

Labor councillor Tony Bleasdale said the application placed council in a conundrum because while he shared the police’s concern, the decision would ultimately be made in the Land and Environment Court.

“We know on appeal it would go down in the land and environment court,” he said.

“The big problem for us is if we refuse the application we would incur a fee of about 50 to $60,000.”

Cr Bleasdale said the court would not consider the devaluation of property as grounds to dismiss the application.

A council officer said the body corporate did in fact give approval for the brothel.

Councillors agreed to prepare a list of reasons for rejecting the brothel that would be considered “reasonable” by the court.