THE Hills Council can save either the Castle Hill Showground or the Council Chambers — but not both.
Hills Mayor Peter Dimbrowsky has defended the council's conceptual plans to move the chambers to the Terminus Street car park, which the council hopes can be redeveloped.
Cr Dimbrowsky said the state government required the council to adjust its density and plan for more people to live around the North West Rail line, which will have a station beneath The Hills Centre.
"But if you think the government is going to leave it like that [in its current form] , it's not going to happen," he said.
"If the chambers stay, there is a real threat that the government will take the Showground for apartments."
"We want the Showground to be vibrant, living and renewed, so our thinking is: let's do it [accommodate more housing] on the council and depot site."
Cr Dimbrowsky said the council wanted to protect low density housing across the shire and the chambers would be the best place to accommodate the housing growth.
"No one knows when this will happen and we don't know when this on-off railway will occur," he said.
"But we have to plan and be ready so when we have the green light we can go forward."
Cr Dimbrowsky said the future of The Hills Centre was "undetermined", but that it may have to be demolished when the station is built.
But the MP for Castle Hill, Michael Richardson, said the chambers and Hills Centre were less than 30 years old and attendances at functions could rise after the station was built.
Mr Richardson said the private sector should redevelop the Terminus Street car park, not the council.
As reported in the News last week, Cr Dimbrowsky said the council envisaged an 18-storey residential tower, civic square, multi-storey car park and commercial building for the site, with work to start in the next few years.
He said the council may complete the works if it could not find a private developer for the job.
Mr Richardson said: "This might end up making a lot of money for the council, but I just don't think it should accept these risks and liabilities if it doesn't have to.
"The private sector should take the risk and reap the rewards, as has happened with Castle Towers.
"If the private sector doesn't want to get involved, then clearly the numbers don't stack up and the project should be postponed."
The council's plans for Terminus Street are conceptual and it does not have confirmed plans for the chambers.
Cr Dimbrowsky said the community would be consulted when the plans are confirmed and they would be exhibited for residents to make submissions.
"If we're going to introduce a new vision for the area, we have to have a discussion with the public about it," he said. "Everyone wants to know what will happen.
"What the future of their suburb will be.
"And they're entitled to know what the impact will be."
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