Parking message to owners and developers

Gosford Council has supported a fast ferry dream for years on behalf of those thousands that the proponents ask us to believe will use it to commute each week to work in Sydney and to visit the beautiful Brisbane Waters Central Coast for trips.

A reported decision by Justice Lloyd (Land and Environment Court) says in part: "The provision of car parking must be completely and finally determined before a valid development consent can be granted."

This should send two very different messages into the community.

It sends a message to those who own property close to the Lemon Grove Reserve and ferry site, who were frightened earlier this year by significant indications that council would acquire their land under the provisions of the Just Lands Acquisition Act.

Hopefully it also sends a message to those developers, the other half of the equation, who will need to first acquire property in the open market at the just market price (a term used by council) before any further consideration can be entered into.

I personally believe that privatising public asserts of any kind works against the public good, but particularly here, we see the worst that a failing system could contrive to offer.

Edward James, Umina