The vexed question of building heights in Blaxland's town centre remains unanswered.
At issue is how many storeys should be allowed to encourage development in the way the community wants.
Council has been consulting with residents for some years to gauge how they would feel about increased building heights in the town centre.
But at a meeting last week, council endorsed a call for more analysis.
The 2018 Blaxland master plan foreshadowed further investigation of building heights to encourage revitalisation of the town centre while maintaining and improving amenity and character.
A proposal to allow four storey buildings, with the top storey set back to reduce the overall bulk, was put to the community late last year, with 374 people participating in a survey.
It found 68 per cent supported the four storeys, with 26 per cent opposed.
Three options were then presented: 1) four storeys across the entire town centre; 2) four storeys only if there was public benefit, such as open space or community facilities; and 3) four storeys with public benefit but only in key town centre sites.
The second option was most popular, supported by 60 per cent; the third option was supported by 50 per cent. The first option was opposed by 60 per cent of respondents.
However the council report expressed concern that the four-storey outcome may not be commercially feasible enough to attract development so it recommended additional analysis to further consider the options.
This was passed by council at its meeting last week. Cr Kerry Brown was the only voice against.
"This feasibility study will not find that the current three-storey limit will foster the rejuvenation of Blaxland as this has not happened for decades," she told the Gazette. "It will either confirm that a fourth set-back storey could be the game changer or that five storeys are necessary for this.
"Why waste more money on yet another study when the five-storey limit was not supported but a majority of participants in the consultation supported four storeys with design controls?"
Jo Bromilow, president of the Blaxland Chamber of Commerce, said she and other building owners had written to council about their "disappointment" at the extended time line.
"Following almost six years attempting to get this master plan passed through council, councillors have again requested another feasibility study," she said.
"Whilst I had hoped that this ... would have already commenced and a more vibrant village would be a nearer certainty, when the results of this next feasibility study are released, I encourage all Blaxland residents and residents in surrounding villages ... to have their say."
