Sensitive south coast sites should be off limits

Friday, 21 July 2006 20:24

A series of meetings being held on the South Coast and in Sydney this and next week week is hearing the community’s concerns about the future development of the 17 sensitive urban lands in the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega Council areas.

Director of the TEC, Jeff Angel addressed the Panel in Sydney and said, “The community needs to have their confidence restored in the planning process. The recommendations of the Independent Panel to the Minister of Planning is an opportunity to get the planning right on the South Coast after years of poor decision making at all levels of government.”

He continued, “TEC rejects 15 of the 17 sites for future development on the grounds that they are inconsistent with the principles behind the Draft South Coast Regional Strategy in that they do not adjoin major towns or major growth centers or they are environmentally constrained and lack infrastructure. We also reject the Sustainability Criteria in the Draft Strategy, which allow future evasion of the Strategy, as creating more unwanted uncertainty in the community.”

“The South Coast deserves better than ad hoc development and urban sprawl and the TEC will continue to advocate an environmentally sustainable outcome.”

“There is more than enough cleared and suitably located land available for any future demand on the coast, as well as consolidation possibilities in existing urban centres. Now is a perfect time to put an end to approvals of rezoning and new subdivision development in high conservation value vegetated landscapes.”

Copy of TEC submission