Great Lakes Council voted 5-4 to rezone parts of Green Point for urban development. The decision is bound by some conditions. New land lots must be bigger than 600 square metres, and an area master plan will be drawn up with input from a Green Point residents’ group.

A packed gallery at the council meeting was dotted with Save Green Point t-shirts. Mayor John Chadban announced the decision to applause from one or two people and quiet heckling from the majority.

“At the end of the day the NSW Department of Planning is always looking over council’s shoulder and will have the final say,” he said.

“There’s a long way to go and I think there’s a genuine wish from both sides to work in close consultation.”

The gallery’s responses varied from “What just happened? We lost?” to “Shame on you”.

Green Point Community Association’s Margaret Blackwood was disappointed but optimistic.

“The decision’s left us in no man’s land, but it does promise closer consultation,” she said.

“I put a lot of faith into that promise [of community involvement]. Some of the councillors who spoke today were very much in our favour.”

As the rezoning was debated, CrJohn Weate explained why he would vote against it.

“It’s easy to be cynical and think Green Point residents don’t want anyone else there, and it’s unfair to say ‘we have houses in a beautiful area, but young families can’t’” he said.

“But this decision is about sustainability. If we propose extending our development footprint, there’d better be a good argument. Filling a low-lying floodplain with 600 sq m urban blocks doesn’t seem sustainable.”

Cr Leigh Vaughan echoed his sentiments.

“After the barrage of letters and emails we’ve had from residents it’s tempting to think residents just oppose anyone else coming into the village. However, council has to be satisfied with the environmental impact of this rezoning, and I still remember the problems caused at Jimmy’s Beach. I’m not satisfied with this motion.”