TAREE COUNCIL'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH CONCRETE GIVES KISS OF DEATH TO NORTH REDHEAD

Friday, 21 November 2003 10:00

Taree Council's latest plans for North Redhead have been condemned as typically maximising concrete while minimising nature.

Referring to Taree Council's recently released Development Control Plan (DCP) for Figtree Hill Estate, the NSW environment organisation Total Environment Centre said the plan reflected the Council's usual "love affair with concrete"

"This DCP appears after a development application (DA) for the site was lodged with Council on the eve of the NSW Government's gazettal of its coastal protection policy SEPP 71. As a result PlanningNSW will not be scrutinizing the DA but there is nothing to stop the Minister from calling it in and that is what we have asked him to do," said coastal campaigner Fran Kelly.

"This North Redhead DCP includes putting asset protection zones (for bushfire clearing) in land zoned environment protection, eating away at wildlife corridors, rather than on the private development sites as they are meant to be. It also places a couple of rural residential development lots within the forested wildlife corridors. On top of that they are also amending the LEP to allow development in 7(a) environment protection sites overall.

"In our opinion it was bad enough that the site was approved for residential development at all, but now, even that isn't enough, with the remnant corridors that were meant to be retained being undermined," said Ms Kelly.

"No matter what Taree Council does in the way of planning and development it always ends up being the same - they cover the scenic beauty of the area with concrete and then declare they are carrying out sensible environmentally sustainable planning!" said TEC coastal campaigner Ms Fran Kelly

"We hope the Planning Department will step in this case before the North Redhead site is pushed any further by Taree Council," said Ms Kelly.
For more information contact Fran Kelly or Jeff Angel on 9199 5599/5680
 

For further information

Contact
:
Fran kelly - Coastal Campaigner
Phone
:
61 2 9299 5599
Email
:
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:
http://www.tec.org.au/