Dubbo Regional Council oppose the current location of drug and alcohol rehab centre

At the Thursday, May 25 ordinary council meeting, the councillors supported Josh Black's motion to write to the relevant government minister raising its objections to the chosen site and to confirm its commitment to work with the Western NSW Local Health District to identify a more suitable parcel of land for the community.

Councillor Black said the government needed to admit they "botched" the location.

"The cost has obviously blown out massively because they've got free land off another government entity, the bed size for the detox and the rehab facilities have been slashed, so there's obviously major, major cost issues with this facility," he said.

"They're going to have to put their hand in their pocket and do it properly, do the job properly because the drug and substance abuse addiction problem is not going away."

On Thursday, February 23 Mark Spittal WNSWLHD Chief Executive was joined by Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunder to announce that the District reached an agreement to purchase a four-hectare site in Spears Drive.

To make his disappointment about the announcement clear, Cr Black held a protest in March this year opposing the site.

"This rehab shouldn't be in my opinion located next to an established residential neighbourhood after zero consultation with the residents next door simply isn't fair," he said.

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"It certainly isn't fair on the people who will be using the centre trying to beat their addictions, they should be afforded a more private setting as they go through that journey."

Cr Black said as a council they need to be prepared to help people and do whatever they can to try and get the state government to change their decision and find a different and better location.

"As an elected body we can get involved and tell other levels of government what we think and advocate for residents and ratepayers in our area and that's what we should be doing," he said.

"The state government and the health minister needs to hear that the council is not happy with their decision...there has to be a better location."

Councillor Pam Wells said the announcement of the rehab location was "really disappointing" and she was happy to support Cr Black's motion.

"It's quite distressing for it to be in a residential area, it's also going to be distressing for the people that use the service, the people that need to heal," she said.

"It's absolutely necessary and we need to make sure we help the LHD (Local Health District) to change their mind about the location it is at."

Councillor Matthew Wright said he has heard the concerns of the public, but wanted to make sure residents understood that the council won't be making the final decision on the location of the rehabilitation facility.

"There seems to be some misinformation in the community that council may potentially have the final say," he said.

DRC Director of development and environment, Stephen Wallace said a development application for the rehabilitation centre would be "regionally significant" and would be lodged by the Crown with a development value above $5 million.

"If that was the case that application would be assessed by staff in accordance with the state environment planning policy and other regulations, but it would not be determined by council, but by the Western Regional Planning panel," he said.