green light to a production line on a rural property.

Express Coach Builders, which employs 97 people in its bus production line, was granted permission to build a new site on a rural-zoned block at council’s general meeting on June 18, against the advice of council’s planning staff.

In deciding the issue, councillors said they were swayed by the threat of losing the industry completely.

“We all remember what happened when we lost Midco – I’m not saying it would be that serious, but it would be very significant,” Cr John Ainsworth said.

Cr Brian Finlayson said the greater good of the community had to be considered.

“It is a question of balance – you have to weigh losing the coach builders against the degree of effect to the landholders,” he said.

“The pendulum has to swing to preserve the benefits coach builders provide this community.”

Upper Warrell Creek Road residents spoke out against the development, stating that no proper flood study had been carried out, and it ‘spelled disaster’ for the environmentally sensitive creek area around the development.

“We live in a beautiful part of the country and the world,” resident Sandra Sutton told councillors.

“We want to keep it that way.”

Fellow Upper Warrell Creek landowner Toni Freeman said the issues of pollution, noise and other problems would devalue homes.

Among the less attractive aspects of living near the development would be the beeping of backing trucks, the sounds emanating from the factory and fumes from fibre-glassing, she said.

Residents urged Express Coach Builders to look at industrial land for sale in areas that were appropriately zoned for it.

Council staff had recommended the application be denied, because the development would be incompatible with its surroundings.

Express Coach Builders is currently spread over two Macksville sites. Manager Paul Hoffman said the company needed to consolidate in order to expand and stay competitive in an industry that was seeing more overseas imports each year. He said he saw the site growing to include another 20 staff, and more trainees.

The new site, he said, would include new technologies to minimise the impact on neighbours, including noise-reduced techniques, water-based paints for smell and only clean-air outputs through its chimneys.

Express Coach Builders will have to put in a separate development application to build workers’ cottages on the site.