TENSIONS ran at high this week's council meeting as concerns about the proposed Nundle wind farm flared.
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It was sparked by a council decision on a development application to demolish an existing dwelling at Hanging Rock.
The dwelling was supposed to make way for an upgraded two-bedroom off-grid accommodation.
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However, the council's planning department urged councillors to reject the application due to a lack of information and strong community opposition.
Some people at the meeting argued the development was lodged merely to hinder a 97 turbine wind farm proposed for the Nundle area.
Four people spoke in favour of council dumping the demolition development evoking climate change and a potential health and safety impact on the Nundle trout farm, Arc-en-Ciel.
Mark Eather spoke passionately against the council recommendation and called more time to speak after councillors listened to four-straight presentations against the dwelling demolition.
Juanita Wilson moved for Mr Eather to be given more time and was supported by Glenn Inglis.
The motion was lost five votes to three.
In another twist, the final registered speaker on the night opted to pass her allotted three minutes speaking time to Mr Eather.
Speaking on behalf of the development applicant, he refuted some of the council's concern with the project and said other issues could be rectified.
Tensions bubbled over at points throughout the meeting.
People called-out from the gallery during Mr Eather's presentation and said "that's not true" and "you've got it totally wrong, mate".
Some councillors agreed with the recommendation there was inadequate information provided with the application.
Councillors ultimately agreed it was not in the public interest to approve the development.
There was "widespread public interest" in the development, according to the council.
The application drew 50 submissions for the community with 40 submitters all in opposition to the proposed dwelling.
Cr Inglis voted in favour of blocking the new dwelling.
He said he wasn't necessarily swayed by the public interest factor as much as the "inadequate information" in the application.
He said the DA decision was not about the wind farm.
Jim Robinson said, at the council meeting, the wind farm would be "probably one of the best things that could happen to Nundle".
"There's no work in the Nundle area," he said.