The end, this week, of 15 years of bitter warfare over the future of the Tralee housing development has sparked a confused response from Tuggeranong Community Council.
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The council came out swinging on Thursday in response to news that Canberra Airport had agreed to stop fighting the construction of 1500 new homes just across the border from Tuggeranong at south Tralee.
In a statement, council secretary and veteran activist Darryl Johnston took a hard line on any potential moves to share aircraft noise when the houses are built under the airport's flight path.
The council has long feared that noise complaints from future residents of Tralee would lead to flight paths being diverted around Canberra to share the pain and that the city's southern suburbs would be first to suffer.
''The TCC will strongly oppose any attempts by the new residents of Tralee to relocate flight paths over the Tuggeranong Valley,'' Mr Johnston said.
''Based on legal advice the TCC obtained earlier this year, the TCC will support any individual residents or resident groups who wish to take legal action if they find their lives, health and property values are negatively impacted if flight paths are relocated over Tuggeranong in the future.''
But the TCC's president, Nicholas Tsoulias, issued a statement on Friday saying the previous day's hardline message had been withdrawn and that the council was seeking talks with Tralee developer the Village Building Company.
Mr Tsoulias said he accepted responsibility for Thursday's reaction but it was premature.
''It was an error of judgment on my behalf, not in the statement but in the timing,'' he said. ''We want to send a positive message.''
The council president said that he wanted to speak to Bob Winnel, of the Village Building Company, and to consult with more TCC members before issuing any more public statements.
''We really need to meet with Bob Winnel and to talk some more to our members before anything else happens,'' he said.