Environment Plan fails to protect environment
Council fails to value or protect our most treasured public lands and open spaces in its draft Local Environment Plan (LEP).
Gosford Council's draft LEP currently on public exhibition for comment is an outrage which has to be seen to be believed.
The draft LEP updates and changes the zones of all land in Gosford in line with a new State Government template.
Tragically, Gosford Council has taken what can only be described as a cavalier attitude to this process and unlike other Councils undergoing the same exercise, has completely abrogated its responsibility to protect our valuable conservation lands and public open spaces right across the local government area.
Take for example the Pearl Beach Arboretum - conservation land given in trust to the people of Gosford by a private individual.
Under the draft LEP the Arboretum is now zoned RE1, a zone which allows for things such as motor racing tracks, caravan parks, paint ball centres, major recreation facilities, restaurants, child care centres, kiosks, car parks, roads and much more.
Other local examples on land proposed to be zoned RE1 include Mt Ettalong and the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland (endangered ecological community) next to Umina caravan park, Blackwall Mountain, Iluka and Kahibah Lagoon and wetlands.
These area of public land should all be zoned E2 environmental conservation and not RE1 recreation.
Council tells us that the management plans for these areas are sufficient to ensure they remain conservation areas.
However we know only too well from bitter experience in the courts that it is the zoning and the LEP that is the main legal protection for any land.
All other plans are discretionary and can be easily overridden by a decision of Council or the Courts.
These are only a few examples of how these proposals will affect the environment that many of us moved here to enjoy.
If you care about our public open space, the protection of native animals, our bush land and ridgelines - make sure you make a submission to Council about these issues before the close date of 8 April.
If you would like to know more contact me on 4342 2251 or go the Community Environment Network website www.cen.org.au.
Email, 5 Mar 2010
Sue Ellis, Umina