Barry McDonald, who formerly worked with Goulburn’s State and Regional Development office, has made the point in a comprehensive submission on the council’s draft housing strategy.

He highlighted the subdivision of Fox Close at Marys Mount in 2015 into seven 355 square metre lots. The DA sparked “considerable objections from neighbouring residents.”

“It just makes a mockery of planning laws to allow further subdivision of existing lots after a subdivision is approved,” Mr McDonald wrote.

He argued there should be a ban on the practice for at least 20 years.

In addition, Mr McDonald said multi-storey home unit developments should not be allowed in residential areas on Goulburn’s fringes. Instead they would be better suited to inner areas, around the CBD.

In a similar vein, he called for minimum 500sqm lots, preferably 600 to 700sqm.

“The current 350sqm is too small. Goulburn has plenty of space to allow for reasonable size lots,” he said.

Likewise, lot averaging should be banned as this too undermined planning laws, Mr McDonald wrote.

The council is seeking feedback on a housing strategy for Goulburn and Marulan through a series of community workshops and an online survey. A drop-in session was held opposite Goulburn’s Westpac Bank on Tuesday. 

At a recent Civic Centre workshop, some participants urged caution in developing Marys Mount too much, lest the necessary retail/service needs split the CBD.

But Mr McDonald said the suburb was the “logical” place for expansion, with a mix of larger and regular sized lots. Blocks of up to 4000sqm could be developed on the southern side of Crookwell Road towards Sooley Dam. Future land releases could occur along Middle Arm Road and the eastern side of Crookwell Road, toward Kingsdale Road.

He also encouraged a retail development at Marys Mount, saying Goulburn’s CBD was limited by space and heritage controls.

He did not agree with shop-top housing in the city centre. While it was common for shop owners to live above their premises a century ago, these days were “long gone.”

“Most of the current shops in Auburn Street are old and their fire safety is questionable, especially upstairs. Heritage laws don’t allow demolition and redevelopment, so this idea of shop top housing needs to be put aside,” Mr McDonald said.

Instead, the council should encourage infill development of flat land in old residential areas close to the CBD and health facilities, with a focus on downsized and seniors housing.

“This should prove popular given we are experiencing an ageing population,” Mr McDonald argued.

Despite many at the recent workshop challenging a forecast 5700 population increase over the next 20 years, he believed this was reasonable based on past trends.

The council is expected to release a draft housing strategy for public comment later in the year. The current process is aimed at gathering ideas.