Developer calls for mediation
A DEVELOPMENT company wants Tweed Shire Council to reconsider third-party mediation to move forward on two major projects in the region.
Leda Developments, the company behind developments at Kings Forest and Cobaki Lakes, asked councillors to reconsider their positions as they had to be "allies" moving forward.
Mayor Barry Longland put Blackadder Consulting forward at the last council meeting as a suitable third-party mediator between Leda and the council after the developer claimed anti-development bias from the council's officers.
Mediation was refused in a vote by councillors at last month's council meeting.
"Regrettably and surprisingly that motion didn't succeed," Leda regional manager Reg Van Rij said at the community access meeting on Thursday.
"Blackadder was the council's idea and the mayor had created the terms of reference.
"We agreed to those terms with not so much as a change to a comma or a full stop.
"If this comes up again then please give the mayor support for the engagement of the mediator."
Some councillors were concerned about who would pay for mediation.
Mr Van Rij refused to comment about costs at the community forum.
