Opposition to council’s revitalisation plans for Springwood took another leap forward last Monday night when a huge crowd attended a public meeting aimed at “saving” the village from any major supermarket development.

About 300 people voiced their fears over Coles or Woolworths coming to Springwood — a possibility set in train by council’s decision to consider funding new community facilities on the back of the private sector.

Unlike the first public meeting organised by pressure group Save Our Springwood (SOS), all three of the town’s ward councillors attended last week’s forum at the Springwood Sporting Club. And while they were listened to, their defence of the process to seek ideas from the private sector did little to sway the anti-council feeling at the meeting.

Perhaps the biggest indicator of the depth of feeling on the issue was the decision to continue the meeting long after a blackout plunged the room into darkness and rendered the public address system useless.

While council’s revitalisation timeline includes broad community consultation next March following the completion of social, cultural, parking, traffic and retail studies, SOS member Brendan Luchetti called on council to stop the process now.

“We have to stop now before we get to the point where money is spent, time is invested and expectations are raised about the outcome,” he said.

He urged councillors “to listen to the residents of Springwood”.

“I urge you to listen to the views being put across at this meeting and take them on board as being reflective of the whole entire community of Springwood . . . I would encourage you (the residents) to maintain the rage, fight the good fight and do not accept anything but ‘no Coles, no Woolworths, no shopping centre in Springwood’.”

Anti-Coles and Woolworths sentiment like this was overwhelming at the meeting, prompted by council’s decision to invite the supermarket companies to submit new plans for the town after councillors rejected their original proposals.

“I don’t know about everyone else, but if you want a shopping mall, damn well go down to Penrith,” one resident said to huge applause.

But the Ward 3 councillors defended the process, saying it was aimed at getting updated community facilities and reversing a downturn in retail trade in Springwood since the opening of the Coles shopping centre at Winmalee.

“Our process allows us not to proceed if we choose not to . . . (and) there is no proposal before council now for a mall or any other shopping mall,” said Clr Alison McLaren.

Speakers attacked the decision to pursue involvement from the private sector but the Ward 3 councillors countered that council’s financial position left it with little choice if it wanted to build new community facilities like a larger library, neighbourhood centre and a modern, air-conditioned civic centre.

“I don’t think the residents of the Blue Mountains would be too keen to see their rates double, which is what would happen (without the involvement of the private sector). Either that or we would drop your roads service, your garbage service, your bushfire service. . .” said Clr McLaren.

The Ward 3 councillors were also forced on the defensive over their position on the sale of council-owned land, clarifying that they opposed the sale of any public land, regardless of its zoning.

They went on the attack, however, when one speaker raised the influence of developer donations on councils.

“I know it’s not the whole general feeling of the meeting tonight but for those people who fear the local councillors were offered some money from developers, it is absolute rubbish . . . It’s already been spoken about at this meeting tonight. I take offence at that and I’m sure the other 11 councillors on Blue Mountains City Council would take offence,” said independent Clr Lyn Trindall.

The meeting ended without any formal resolutions being carried but the general feeling was clear. Neither side had changed its position.

“The developers are still lurking in the garden,” said SOS founder Chris Taylor. “We don’t trust the consultation process that’s gone on so far.”