Small and big developers are preparing to lodge plans in and around Sutton village. When the first one is approved, many more will follow, says Sutton resident and Yass Valley councillor David Needham.
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"I reckon Sutton is about to explode, because nothing has really happened in Sutton by way of growth in the 20 years I have lived there. That is a long time to resist growth," Cr Needham said.
About 2003, before the former Yarrowlumla shire was split into new local government areas of Yass Valley and Palerang, Queanbeyan developer Alex Brinkmeyer proposed a huge development of 2000 blocks at Sutton.
Fearful of such a big change to their rural lifestyle, villagers mobilised to block the project, then a new local environmental plan was drawn up in a process that went for a decade.
Since then planners have met proposals with misgivings about a lack of water infrastructure. Now a spokesman for Mr Brinkmeyer, Des Page, of LINK Management, says lodgement of fresh plans is only a month or so away.
Nowhere near as big as the previous plans, it will nonetheless re-shape Sutton and include a road by-pass of the village.
"The major issues we are looking at at the moment are the sewer treatment and water supply," Mr Page said.
A reticulated-water system is proposed, with one option centred on connecting to the ACT supply. "It depends how keen the ACT is to distribute their water," Mr Page said. "It has been highlighted in previous years as a possibility."
This would enable lot sizes of 1000 square metres, half the size of lots specified for land reliant on septic systems and without sewerage treatment works.
A 140-lot subdivision has been mentioned previously. Mr Page says actual lot numbers are still being determined. Plans will proceed through NSW Planning's gateway process which also involved Yass Council.
Cr Needham said there were other smaller subdivisions in the planning pipeline, although plans were yet to be submitted for approval.
"It is not demand, it is the builders driving to create demand. Developers want to get hold of a block of land for a million dollars, subdivide it into 400 parcels and sell it for $30 million. The location is an asset and a liability," says Cr Needham.
"It is so close to Canberra it is probably quicker to get into the city than if you are living in Forde [ACT] because you don't have to negotiate the Gungahlin Drive Extension. That's a real bonus.
"The liability, of course, is that means people are trying to build urban development in Sutton, and villagers would not want an urban development, they want a village environment and maybe a rural residential environment, not a Gungahlin in Sutton.
"Because of proximity to Canberra, it tends to become a dormitory suburb, you lose cohesiveness of the community, to some extent."
Cr Needham says unlike Murrumbateman and Gundaroo, which have been vocal about community needs, Sutton has difficulty finding its voice.
"I would image most [people] have bought out there for the quieter life, so what they want is the quieter life to continue. What they don't want is a suburb."
Real estate agent Ross Hinksman says homes in the village are tightly held and sell quickly because of the shortage, and fetch solid prices.
