Byng Administration Services proposed a 17-lot subdivision at 168 Shiralee Road – Orange City Council recommended approval but noted development was not possible on eight of the lots until the developer negotiated access across other properties.

But residents living on those properties asked the council on Tuesday how negotiations were to happen.

Neighbour Gemma Dwyer said she received no letter when the DA was submitted in 2016 – she did when it was resubmitted in March, but she did not find out about the council meeting until the day before. 

“Whose land is marked for roads, sewerage, water and stormwater? Ours, not the applicant’s,” she said.

“Neither the owner of this DA nor the council has felt the need to discuss any of these matters with us, which is just a basic lack of common courtesy.”

She said the DA dictated where infrastructure would go, which affected her right to develop her land.

Garry Coulson, whose property is not next door but has been included for a sewer main, said he thought the impact was grounds to be notified.

Council staff emphasised neighbours did not have to give consent if they did not want to, but councillors deferred a decision pending a further site inspection. 

Councillor Jeff Whitton said he found it “very unusual” to consider a subdivision without access to all lots.

“I understand there is no obligation to inform neighbours under legislation, but I’m pretty tired of coming into this chamber and hearing the same story from the community that we are not taking them with us,” he said.

Development services director David Waddell was troubled by complaints of letters not being received.

“We’ll check our records there – our procedure is to take a map out and say all those people get letters,” he said.

The council takes responsibility for infrastructure maintenance once it is built.