Environment projects might be destructive, Glen explains

Gosford Council's director of city services Mr Stephen Glen has defended the practice of describing projects as "environmental", even if they destroyed the natural environment.

He was responding from a call by the Central Coast's Community Environment Network to remove the Ettalong Beach Foreshore Plan from the "Protecting the Environment" section of the Corporate Plan, because it was misleading.

The Network said the project would "result in the destruction of dune systems and vegetation".

It implied that works had been included in the environmental protection section to bolster the council's image and divert attention from the council's poor environmental performance.

The Network said it was concerned that the council had not genuinely accepted its environmental protection responsibilities.

Mr Glen said in a report to council that he did not support moving the project to another section of the plan.

"The State Government defines 'environment' in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 as to 'include all aspects of the surroundings of humans, whether affecting any human as an individual or in his or her social grouping'.

"The project falls within the definition of 'environment', as defined by the State Government, and is aimed at managing a sensitive coastal environment to address competing human activities.

"The Minister has endorsed the Ettalong Beach Reserve Plan of Management, developed by council on the basis of extensive community consultation and expert advice.

"Council has commenced the progressive implementation of the Plan in accordance with the terms of its adoption.

"The Plan takes account of a broader range of environmental concerns, including natural foreshore processes, vegetation and human activity."

In a six-page submission, CEN chairman Mr John Asquith told the council: "We are also concerned about the inclusion of a number of strategies and actions that are clearly not primarily focused on protecting the environment."

The Ettalong Beach Foreshore, The Haven Sea Wall Stabilisation and Flooding and Drainage works were given as examples.

"The inclusion of these items is misleading in terms of the budget allocation to Protecting the Environment.

"Inclusion of flooding and drainage works suggests that Council allocates 22 per cent of its general fund on protecting the environment.

"Flooding and drainage works are not carried out in order to protect the environment, rather as infrastructure works usually designed to protect property.

"If the objective were to protect the environment then in most cases flooding would be permitted to mimic natural systems.

"Without the inclusion of flooding and drainage this drops the allocated budget to Protecting the Environment to 8.45 per cent of the General Fund. This is completely inadequate when ecologically sustainable development is a core responsibility of Council.

"In reviewing the draft plan, we have been alarmed by the obvious gaps in relation to the environment and ecologically sustainable development.

"This has caused serious concern with regards to Gosford Council genuinely accepting its responsibilities in terms of environmental protection, conservation and ecologically sustainable development.

"We are also concerned that the poor representation of environmental initiatives in the Corporate Plan reflects a culture within Council that is hostile towards environmental responsibilities and, in particular, is declining as a consequence of the removal of the previous Environment Directorate.

"Assurances that the integration of the Environment Directorate across Council would lead to improved environmental outcomes have clearly not been proven.

"In contrast, significant decline has occurred in terms of expertise within Council, responsiveness to environmental challenges and a failure of Council to make progress on any significant environmental initiatives.

"These concerns are further demonstrated by Council's own performance indicators.

"The table provided indicates that target levels have not been achieved on virtually all the Key Performance Indicators relating to the environment."

The City Management Plan is expected to be adopted by Gosford Council tomorrow night, May 27.

Council agenda ENV.42, 27 May 2008 Submission, 8 May 2008 John Asquith, Community Environment Network