CARDIFF HEIGHTS residents hoping to have their properties realigned into the suburb of New Lambton Heights have been dealt a blow after Lake Macquarie council rejected the move.
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The push to have the suburb boundary adjusted started in November, 2016, when a resident of Currawong Road applied to council to include the road within New Lambton Heights instead of Cardiff Heights.
The council pulled its support for the move this week after a report found there was "no substantial or significant benefits in changing".
Six months after the resident's request, the council sent letters to the owners of 43 affected properties requesting feedback on the proposal. Of 43 letters sent, 21 responses were received with 14 were in favour of the move and seven against.
Based on the responses, the council made an application to the Geographical Names Board (GNB) last July.
The GNB exhibited the proposal in August and received eight submissions; five supported the proposal and three were against.
The GNB then put the ball back in the council's court, asking for a review of the submissions and to seek clarification if the council was still in favour of the change.
A staff report was presented to councillors earlier this week recommending the council no longer proceed with the application.
It listed four reasons for supporting the proposal: changing the suburb would keep the properties in the school zones for New Lambton Heights Infants School and New Lambton Public School; residents identify themselves as being within the New Lambton Heights community; entry into Currawong Road is from New Lambton Heights, and geographically, Currawong Road fits into New Lambton Heights.
Reasons for objecting the move included a determination that long-term residents identify themselves as being from Cardiff Heights and that there was "no substantial or significant benefits in changing the suburb name".
The report concluded that "although there may be some minor benefit for some residents of Currawong Road, the adjustment of the suburb boundary .... should not proceed at this time due to the apparent lack of support for the proposal".
Councillors were split on withdrawing support for the application but Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser used her casting vote to proceed.
The council's decision has been conveyed to the GNB, which will make the final decision on whether or not to approve the proposal.
Currawong Road, which has vehicle access from only one end, runs parallel to Main Road with New Lambton Heights to its north.
Residents the Newcastle Herald spoke to on Thursday expressed mixed views about the change. Many were not fussed, some were keen and others predicted it would boost their property prices.
"The street is definitely split," Currawong Road resident Warren Green said.
