160 groups reject coastal strategies

Monday, 01 May 2006 20:40

“This government has created a massive problem for itself by taking planning and the coastal strategies so far into the developers’ camp so that there are only crumbs left to protect the environment and residential amenity,” said Jeff Angel, Director of Total Environment Centre.

“It is highly dangerous for a government to put offside so many groups from so many parts of NSW, that are active and passionate about coastal protection.  They represent the majority of community opinion,” Mr Angel said.

“Major developers and their peak lobby organisations, who can afford to pay thousands of dollars for a seat at a table with the Planning Minister at ALP fundraisers get most of what they ask for,” Cate Faehrmann, Director of the Nature Conservation Council said.

“Regional strategies and planning laws are supposed to ensure that future growth will be for the long term survival of the environment and of communities.  These changes to planning laws no longer protect local communities and fragile areas like the coast from the clutches of developers,” Ms Faehrmann said.

“When added to all the recent planning changes introduced to speed up DA approvals and cut environmental protection and public concerns, the strategies simply entrench the perception that the government is only interested in working to benefit the property industry,” Mr Angel said.

Key problems of the regional strategies include:
• failure to protect native vegetation and biodiversity,
• the ability for development to occur anywhere as long as it fits some wishy washy criteria
• adoption of “investigation zones” that will benefit land speculators who have pushed for them
• lack of detail, data and maps showing conservation and natural hazards
• failure to account for climate change impact
• failure to protect low key settlements
• lack of public transport and service provisions. 

Copy of letter