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Houses to be built next to gas wells

It has been revealed that a new residential development in Camden in Sydney's south west could see homes built right next to gas wells.

Currently the land is a quiet, rural area that borders key growth centres in the south-west. Camden Council is about to rezone it into as residential, allowing 900 new homes to be built.

However the council is keeping quiet on AGL's plans to put a series of gas wells on the same land.

The wells are part of a proposed gas field near Campbelltown, which Camden Council supports.

Documents reveal if the rezoning goes ahead, homes could be built just fifty metres from gas wells.

According to Jacqui Kirkby from Scenic Hills Association: "It's just a massive experiment with the south west Sydney, we're being turned into guinea pigs if this goes ahead."

Although the council has released a 39 page development control plan, it doesn’t mention anything about coal seam gas or gas wells.

A council spokesman told 7News that says mining and homes can “co-exist on the same land".

Ms Kirkby says: "If they think coal seam gas is fine to go in these developments.. and they think it's a good idea, why aren't they promoting that at the same time, why aren't they telling people about it? It just seems to be morally outrageous that they're hiding it."

The public has three weeks to comment on the development.

More deails are here:

The residential development’s planning proposal for the land, near Camden Valley Way and Raby Road, is on public display at Camden Council until April 3.

The land includes El Caballo Blanco, Gledswood and East Side Lands at Gledswood Hills (ECBG Land):

The draft Planning Proposal can be viewed at: Narellan Customer Service Centre and Narellan Library, Queen Street Narellan; Camden Customer Service Centre and Camden Library, John Street Camden; camden.nsw.gov.auCamden Council's website

Submissions
Submissions regarding the Draft Planning Proposal (Amendment No. 3), the Draft Development Control Plan and the Draft Voluntary Planning Agreement will be received up until Wednesday, 4 April 2012.

Submissions should be addressed as follows:

The General Manager, Camden Council
(Attention: Mary-Anne Madden)
PO Box 183, Camden NSW 2570.

Further enquiries should be directed to Mary-Anne Madden on 4654 7803 or Kate Speare on 4654 7801.

For more information on AGL’s proposed gas field near Campbelltown (Northern expansion), visit AGL's website.