Deputy Mayor Ken Halstead, Cr Graham McLaughlin, Cr Juliet Arkwright, Cr David Stranger and two Bundanoon Community Association representatives met with applicant Bridget Tuit on Friday.

However, the development application to be considered today has not changed.

Greens councillor Jim Clark has questioned the meeting between Mrs Tuit and the councillors who had voted to overturn Council’s refusal of the development.

Wingecarribee Council earlier this month rescinded its unanimous refusal of the development and voted to review the procedures involved in handling the application.

“Great concern was shown by some councillors that this applicant receive the benefit of procedural fairness,” Cr Clark said.

“These same councillors held a private meeting last week with the applicant but failed to invite all councillors.

“It appears the applicant only wanted to speak to councillors they felt would support them and requested that only one resident of Bundanoon be invited and that no one present at the meeting speak to the media.

“I don’t think it is in the spirit of transparent governance to be organising meetings with developers where only some of the councillors are present.

“This can give rise to the perception, rightly or wrongly, that deals can be made behind closed doors.”

Cr Clark said residents of Bundanoon were particularly concerned about the inclusion of an industrial unit in the development in an area council has deemed unsuitable under the 2009 LEP.

“The applicant was aware that council was removing the clause that allowed light industrial development in the village, and in fact made a submission to the LEP that it still be permitted and that their land be removed from the heritage conservation area

Both of these requests were refused by the LEP steering committee.

“It seems they don’t want to be subject to the same planning guidelines that apply to everyone else,” said Cr Clark.

Senior members of the National Trust recently visited the site and expressed their concerns about the effect on the streetscape of the development and will be making a submission to Council this week.