Planning reform takes away right to comment

I feel I must alert you to the current state of play in relation to planning laws in NSW.

When the Liberal Government came into power they promised a return to community planning and to remove the 3a Legislation, which took away the community's right for comment of development proposals.

Instead, they repealed 3a and put in 3b.

This takes away your right to comment on development next to you, behind you or in front of you.

It also takes away planning authority from the elected councillors.

The Liberals have reneged on their promise and the community of NSW now face something much worse than the dreaded 3a Legislation.

Some call it 3a on steroids.

The NSW Planning White Paper is arguably the most important government proposal facing NSW communities in decades.

The proposed legislation will have immediate and far-reaching impacts on communities and home owners.

All zonings, which have protected general residential and community lifestyle, will become open slather to development in and around your house or flat.

You or the local council will not have any recourse to address the overshadowing, privacy, infrastructure deficit or heritage loss.

In many cases, you will be given 48 hours of notification of the bulldozers next to, beside or behind your property.

What has played out and is still occurring on the Gosford waterfront will become common place in the suburbs and towns across the state.

Any character statements from council or zonings to protect green buffers or areas of significance will be lost as the legislation will reduce and remove many zonings.

Please visit http://betterplanningnetwork.good.do/nsw/email-your-state-mp-3/ to send a brief letter to your local MP.

It is very important to protect your rights, your house or property and amenity of your neighbourhood to make a submission.

Public submissions need to be lodged by June 28.

Email, 14 Jun 2013

Mark Ellis, Woy Woy