Campaign to stop Council's mismanagement of land

Earlier this month, the Community Environment Network (CEN) outlined to the community the next steps in its campaign to stop Central Coast Council's mismanagement of land and the environment.

28 February 2024

 

FOLLOWING a bumper attendance at the launch of its The Central Coast Deserves a Better Plan campaign on February 13, the Community Environment Network (CEN) has released a Call to Action – steps for the community to take to make sure the Central Coast Council and NSW Government take urgent action to fix this region’s broken planning and land use rules.

 

“Over 70 residents and ratepayers attended our launch from across the Local Government Area and all were deeply concerned by our evidence of council’s adoption and implementation of planning and land use rules that are atypical from every other council in NSW and putting this region’s amenity, biodiversity, ability to cope with climate change and way of life at risk,” said CEN Chair, Gary Chestnut.

 

“Now we are asking for the community’s help to tell the relevant NSW Ministers and local MPs that this is an URGENT and IMPORTANT issue that the Central Coast community wants to see fixed. Throughout February and March, we will be encouraging the whole Central Coast community to take the following steps in support of our campaign.

 

“We are welcoming invitations from concerned community groups and residents’ associations to attend their meetings and present our findings and we are asking individuals and groups to phone or email their local NSW state MP and to email senior members of the NSW Government to set out their concerns."

 

To express your concerns, CEN has produced an online fact sheet and information guide that residents can use to help prepare their own emails -  visit the 'Coast Deserves a Better Plan'.

 

“We need as many members of the community as possible to ask Premier Chris Minns if he will look at problems with our council’s main planning instrument – the Central Coast Local Environmental Plan (CCLEP 2022) – and call for the suspension of the council’s strategic planning powers until the CCLEP is fixed via a process that includes extensive community consultation," said Mr Chestnut.

 

“The Central Coast community was promised a brand new, comprehensive Local Environmental Plan as an outcome of council amalgamation almost eight years ago. We are urging the community to ask their Premier when they will be given a new, comprehensive LEP.

 

“The Central Coast Local Government Area has been under administration since October 2020 and all sorts of inappropriate planning decisions have been made without community representation. Will the Premier please authorise the Minister for Local Government and Minister for Planning to take steps to stop further inappropriate Planning Proposals, State Significant Developments and inappropriate uses on Conservation Land, at least until after the council election in September 2024?

 

“Will the Premier make a public statement to reassure the Central Coast Community that his government will review the inappropriate interpretations and uses of the Conservation Zones, C2, C3 and C4, on the Central Coast?

 

“Our online fact sheet and information guide includes similar questions that could be asked via email of Planning Minister, The Hon Paul Scully MP: “Over $500 million worth of development has been derailed because the Central Coast Local Environmental Plan 2022 (CCLEP2022) is not fit for purpose. Can Minister Scully please commit to an independent review of the CCLEP. Until such a review is completed, can Minister Scully please suspend the approval of any Conservation Zone (C2, C3 and C4) rezonings (Planning proposals) and clearing of native flora on any development sites that may have been given consent under CCLEP2022.

 

“And there are examples of questions for the Minister for Local Government, The Hon Ron Hoenig MP: “Will the Minister undertake to investigate the concerns expressed by CEN in its correspondence with the Minister regarding potential breaches of the Central Coast Council’s Code of Conduct in relation to the Administrator’s failure to address major issues raised by a respected community group in a timely manner?

 

“And, finally, for Environment Minister, The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC: “Will the Minister agree to work with the other relevant Ministers to ensure Central Coast Council is using the Conservation Zones (C2, C3 and C4) in an appropriate manner.”

 

Mr Chestnut said he was concerned that habitat for threatened species, environmental corridors and even Aboriginal Heritage may have already been lost in the northern parts of the Central Coast LGA as a consequence of the weaknesses of the CCLEP2022.

 

“We also believe that implementation of a planning proposal to rezone Deferred Matters Lands in the old Gosford Local Government Area could result in the catastrophic and irreversible loss of habitat and heritage and change the whole character of the area. We do not believe this should be allowed to happen until we at least have elected representatives scrutinising the actions of council,” Mr Chestnut said.