Mayor confirms "open space" decision

Gosford mayor Cr Robert Bell has written to Peninsula residents confirming that no houses will be acquired for "open space".

He said that, following a decision made on December 3, council would take no further action to acquire land.

It was also decided that all affected residents would be advised in writing.

In the letter Cr Bell stated that had he been in the same position he "would have been very annoyed and would have protested also".

Cr Bell apologised on behalf of all councillors.

He said that Council's general manager, Mr Peter Wilson, had also apologised for any inconvenience and anxiety caused to residents.

Cr Bell said: "The council has removed the consultants' proposal to identify certain blocks of land on the Peninsula for purchase."

Council staff had a meeting on December 9 at Ettalong War Memorial Club to explain how the idea of land acquisition came about.

The meeting was told that, under state legislation, "staff are required to plan for a population increase, the planning is required to extend for 20 years in advance".

Cr Bell stated: "I personally do not agree with the rate of expansion in the Peninsula, having personally written to the Minister for Planning NSW, Dr Refshauge, requesting a reduction in medium density zoning on the Peninsula, so there is less population increase."

Cr Bell said he recognised that the Peninsula needed "breathing space".

One way of addressing the problem, according to Cr Bell, was to "investigate Woy Woy depot, opening up the 1.9 ha site".

He called on residents of the Peninsula to help support council in putting "pressure on the Government to stop the population of the Peninsula becoming too much by reducing medium size density zoning".

One resident affected by the proposal, Ms Vicky Rixom, said: "There were over 200 people at the meeting that took place at Ettalong War Memorial Club."

The consensus at the meeting was that the council had "no set plan", she said.

"I would like to see a working group formed by the residents so they can come up with ideas that are workable and beneficial to the Peninsula community in deciding what to do with places, such as the depot," Ms Rixon said.

Jim McGinty, January 22