The decision was made to forward the planning proposal to the Minister for Planning after the showground committee expressed their support at the end of last year.

The response received from the Department of Planning was that the rezoning from private recreation to part local centre and part business development should not proceed.

A lack of information was the primary reason behind the rejection with the reasons given being that insufficient strategic justification was given and the absence of a report that addresses the potential impact on existing commercial developments.

Such information required in the economic assessment would include the supply of commercial land, alternate sites for large scale commercial/retail development and the potential impact on existing centres of the proposed bulky development.

Despite advice not to proceed, the report from the Department of Planning did encourage council to resubmit a planning proposal when an economic development was finalised.

This now means that the applicant will need to undertake more research if they wish to proceed.

Muswellbrook Shire councillors noted the report and moved to ask the applicant to re-submit a planning proposal once an economic assessment had been completed.