Flagrant disregard for

ecologically sustainable development

When Central Coast Council is not selling conservation land for less than its market value, it is supporting development applications that would result in the mass clearing of vegetation and destruction of habitat, according to the Central Coast Community Better Planning Group (CCCBPG).

5 July 2023

 

THE latest indicator of Central Coast Council’s ongoing flouting of its obligations to consider ecological sustainability in its decision-making is a recommendation to the Local Planning Panel to grant consent to a development application that would result in the destruction of never-before cleared bushland at Niagara Park.

 

Chair of the Central Coast Community Better Planning Group, Gary Chestnut, said he had written to the Chair of the Central Coast Local Planning Panel (CCLPP), Ms Kara Krason, and the CEO of Central Coast Council, Mr David Farmer, to draw their attention to major problems with the assessment of Development Application 60589/2020 for the proposed development of a new dwelling house in Niagara Park.

 

The CCLPP called an extraordinary meeting for Friday, 30 June to consider this matter.

 

“The issue of most immediate concern is that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) accompanying this application has not been signed off in accordance with the applicable Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2000 (EPA Reg 2000),” Mr Chestnut said.

 

“According to clause 71(f) of the EPA Reg 2000, the signed declaration must include the name, address and professional qualifications of the EIS author but this information is missing from the copy of the EIS attached to the Supplementary Local Planning Panel Report.

 

“The declaration must state that the EIS has been prepared in accordance with clauses 72 and 73 of the EPA Reg 2000, that the EIS contains all the relevant environmental information and that the information therein is not false or misleading.

 

“I fail to see how this matter can be determined by the CCLPP or even how Council’s planning staff have assessed it without noticing the absence of the legally required signed declaration on the EIS.

 

“I believe this oversight means the Planning Panel cannot lawfully consider this matter. It needs to be re-advertised with a signed copy of the declaration within the EIS exhibited to the public.”

 

“How could Central Coast Council possibly recommend that the Local Planning Panel gives consent for this development on bushfire-prone land which would require extensive clearing of mature previously undisturbed native vegetation?

 

“This steep and densely vegetated land should be conserved in its entirety.

 

“The clearing needed to comply with bushfire requirements would result in a substantial loss of flora and fauna habitat – this is a level of flora and habitat loss that cannot be justified, even with the proposed Vegetation and Bushfire Management Plan and a positive conservation covenant.”

 

The CCCBPG believes the missing signed declaration on the EIS along with Council’s recommendation that the CCLPP grants consent for the mass destruction of previously uncleared native flora, fauna and habitat, is the continuation of a disturbing trend within Hely Street.

 

“During this latest period of administration, we have seen Central Coast Council sell off high-value conservation land at Doyalson and withhold information about its ecological value. Now we have Council supporting a DA that fails to comply with EPA Reg 2000 and would result in indefensible loss of flora, fauna and habitat immediately adjacent to a Gully Rainforest,” Mr Chestnut said.

 

“I believe the Local Planning Panel must defer its consideration of this matter.

 

“It must be re-advertised and the public given access to an EIS with the legally required signed declaration.

 

“We sincerely hope both the Central Coast Local Planning Panel and Central Coast Council consider this matter with urgency and full adherence to NSW planning laws and regulations.”