Council unanimously rejects Muslim School

Council unanimously rejects Muslim School 
BY REBECCA SENESCALL AND ALICIA BOWIE 27/05/2008 8:56:00 PM
Camden's proposed Islamic School has been unanimously rejected by Camden Council at its meeting tonight.  A subdued crowd of about 200 people were at the Camden Civic Centre for what turned out to be a muted debate on planning grounds rather than raw emotion.  Residents clapped when the vote was taken to oppose the school.  "We are the champions," one man said as he left the civic centre.  But the Quranic Society has already told the Advertiser that it will fight the rejection in the Land and Environment Court.  Camden/Macarthur Residents' Group president Emil Sremchevich spoke only about rejecting the proposal on planning grounds and did not speak on religious or racial concerns.  "I urge you to go along with the recommendation of your (planning) department because it's very important and it reflects the basic sentiments of this community," Mr Sremchevich told the meeting.  Seven of the councillors spoke, but all stuck to the script of speaking on the planning-based objections rather than wider community concerns.  Councillor Peter Johnson moved the motion that the council staff recommendation to reject the proposal be accepted and praised the report's depth.  "This is a detailed and thorough report, which has made our job a lot easier," he said.  Cr Johnson said he would welcome an Islamic school closer to his home in Catherine Field, possibly near the planned Leppington train station.  No one from the school spoke at the meeting.  Councillor David Funnell was applauded when he suggested that views across that piece of land should always be preserved.  "The view going down from the old coal road is quite nice and I would hate to see that view stopped."  Mayor Chris Patterson said the decision was made purely on planning grounds, not on ''religion or multiculturalism''.  There had been an increased police presence around the town centre during the afternoon and evening but there have been no reports of any problems.  Council staff last Friday released their report recommending councillors knock back the school because the Quranic Society failed to demonstrate that the site was suitable for its Camden College, which would have catered for 1200 primary and high school children.  During the eight months since the Quranic Society lodged its application, the council has received 3083 submissions, which included 3042 objections.  The council staff report cited potential traffic troubles at the intersection of Cawdor and Burragorang Roads, parking safety risks, inadequate footpaths and a high reliance on private transport among the reasons the school should be refused.  The report also stated that the school would compromise "important cultural, agricultural and heritage views and vistas of the Camden Floodplain" and that it would diminish the availability of grazing land.  The report dismissed a raft of concerns raised in public submissions, including that the school would cause Camden to lose its status "as an Australian country town", that crime would increase, that house values would drop, that there would be Arabic signs in Camden, that the Christmas Light Up Festival would stop, and that the school would have a negative impact on "heritage listed cacti".  One submission raised the issue: "Christians would not be able to construct a school in the Middle East, so why should an Islamic school be built in a Christian community?"  The report responded: "This is not a relevant planning consideration when assessing this proposal".

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