Call for council to buy bush block

Conservationists have called on Gosford Council to buy the bush block at the corner of Veron Rd and Hillview St, Woy Woy, currently subject to a development application for the construction of a 41-villa retirement village.

The Central Coast branch of the Australian Conservation Foundation called a public meeting on the site at 10am on Sunday, May 30.

ACF branch secretary Mr Mark Ellis said the 1.2-hectare parcel of land contained an endangered ecological community and should be protected under NSW threatened species legislation.

He said it was one of the last remaining parcels of land on the Woy Woy Peninsula that contains significant stands of grass trees, burrawangs, paperbarks and eucalypts.

"The removal of over 100 mature native trees and numerous understorey plants will impact on the feeding and habitat of a large variety of birds and animals, including the swift parrot and the grey headed glider which are listed as endangered under the Threatened Species Act.

He said the land should be purchased for the community ownership, which would create green corridor.

"A link between the two bushland reserves on Hillview St could be established for bush walking or cycle track as well as passive recreation and environmental education," he said.

Umina resident Shirley Hotchkiss said her own investigations have found that contrary to claims by the developer that the proposed building of 41 villas in Woy Woy will enhance the site's vegetation, the ecological report in the development application reveals that rare native bushland will be destroyed.

"The vegetation is unique to this area, once covering much of the Peninsula," she said.

"There are fewer than three hectares of this type of bushland left anywhere on the Peninsula."

Ms Hotchkiss quoted page 22 of the ecologist's report that says this type of bushland is "inadequately represented in conservation reserves", and that the long-term impact of the development is that this type of ecological community "will not be able to persist and replace itself".

"Further, the ecological report says that because clearing of native vegetation is listed as a threatening process, this development proposal is recognised as 'a threatening process'," she said.

Gosford Council could purchase the land using Section 94 funds for open space.

Ms Hotchkiss said she had gathered a group of skilled bush regenerators who were willing and able to care for the site's vegetation.

The development application is available at Gosford Council offices including at Woy Woy Library.

Public submissions close on June 3.

Email, May 26