Wollongong Cleans Up at Bad Developer Awards

Corrupt Wollongong developer Frank Vellar took out the coveted “Golden Toaster” as the Bad Developer of the Year for 2008.
The sacked Wollongong Council, which has had ICAC corruption findings made against eight former Councillors and staff members, was named Worst Council.

“I can’t think of any developer in the history of these awards who so richly deserves the title of “Bad Developer”, said Ms Hale.

“The corruption surrounding Wollongong Council has exposed the sleazy side of the property development industry. I guess they have done us a favour by showing just how compromised the planning system can become when developers start splashing around money to buy results.”

There were over 50 nominations across10 categories for this year’s awards.

“Its not surprising that we have had so many nominations this year. Encouraged by the state government’s new planning laws unscrupulous developers are outdoing themselves finding new ways to make a quid out of wrecking the environment and the heritage of our villages, towns and cities.”

Other notable award “winners” were the V8 supercar track at Olympic Park which won in the worst commercial development category and the proposed Tillegra Dam in the Hunter Valley for most environmentally damaging development, both of which have state government backing.

Proposed housing developments at Currawong on Pittwater and Catherine Hill Bay, south of Newcastle took out the metropolitan and regional awards respectively for worst residential developments.

The Coalition for Planning Reform, made up of various development industry lobby groups won the award for “most insidious industry group lobbying effort” for its support for Frank Sartor’s recent pro-developer amendments to the planning laws

On a more positive note the Camden Haven Eco-Village on the mid-North coast won the best development category and The Friends of Currawong and the Catherine Hill Bay Progress Association shared the award for best community campaign.




2008 Toasters Awards for Bad Development
Hosted by NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale


Category Winning Development Winning Developer
Golden Toaster 2008 - Bad Developer Of The Year Frank Vellar
The Worst Council Wollongong Council
The Worst Industrial/Commercial Development V8 Supercars NSW Government
Worst Residential Development - Regional Catherine Hill Bay Rose Group
Worst Residential Development - Metropolitan (Joint Winners) Pitt Town Johnson Property Group
Currawong Eco-Villages (Linz & Litver)
The Most Environmentally Destructive Development Tillegra Dam Proposal, Williams River, Hunter Valley NSW Government
Worst Government Department Dept of Lands
The Most Insidious Industry Group Lobbying Effort Coalition For Planning Reform
The Best Community Campaign (Joint Winners) Friends Of Currawong
Catherine Hill Bay Progress Association
Best Development Camden Haven Eco Village Annie Georgeson Design Studio

Further information: Chris Holley 02 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546