ALP donor’s DA plans

A COMPANY with its eye on developing in the Corrimal CBD donated $16,600 to the NSW Branch of the Labor Party over the course of the 2007 electoral year.

Details of the donations, sourced from the Election Funding Authority, will do little to calm local anxiety over developer donations in the wake of the ICAC inquiry.

Valad Property Group have confirmed to the Wollongong and Northern Leader that they are preparing a Development Application for a new ‘retail centre’ in Corrimal’s CBD.

Head of Property at Valad Greg Thompson confirmed that the development proposed would be built on the Underwood Street car park site, but said details about the plans will not be released until the company is closer to lodging its DA with Wollongong City Council.

Mr Thompson said the company have been speaking to Council and community groups about the site and are ‘probably only a few weeks away’ from lodging the application.

He said community groups have been keen to see the plans when they are ready to be submitted.

EFA records show that Valad Funds Management Ltd made three separate financial donations of $5000, $1600 and $10,000 over the course of the 2007 election period.

Previously, Valad Property Group had contributed just $2750 to Labor NSW coffers, during the 2004/05 election period.

Wollongong City Council Manager of Commercial Projects and Property Peter Coyte said Council put the Underwood Street property on the market in late 2005 and received seven expressions of interest to develop the area.

The contract with Valad for the land is subject to the development application, Mr Coyte said.

This means if the DA does not fulfil council’s requirements for the site they can offer it to someone else.

Mr Coyte said both economic and social benefits were looked at when deciding on DA approvals.

He also said the proposal for the site will be beneficial to the area in terms of parking.