Rezoning raises serious issues

Your front-page stories on the proposed rezoning of the Ettalong Leagues Club land raises some serious issues about the direction of development on the Peninsula.

"Rezoning 'appropriate' says planner"

The rezoning that planner Brett Newbold refers to enables the developer to exceed the height limits that Mr Newbold set at three storeys only a few years ago when he was commissioned by council to develop the Character Statement Urban Design Framework (UDF) for Ettalong.

Mr Newbold states that the proposal is "consistent of the preliminary draft of the Peninsula Strategy".

How can urban design principles vary from low rise to high rise?

Having been involved in the public consultation process for the Peninsula Strategy, this sudden doubling of the height limits for the Peninsula is inconsistent.

During the public consultation, there was no mention of high rise.

There was, however, unanimous opposition to the continued over-development and population increases that accompany over-development.

It would appear that the "public consultation" process for the Peninsula Urban Directions Strategy (PUDS) followed that of the Urban Design Framework.

It goes like this:

Firstly the "public" is consulted briefly.

No mention of high rise.

Then the developers and their representatives at the Chamber of Commerce have their go.

The developers, not happy with the three storey limit, then agree during the UDF consultations to set new principles to suit themselves.

Council obligingly paid Mr Newbold, with ratepayer's money, to meet with the developer giant Multiplex and surprise, surprise Mr Newbold's principles suddenly changed.

So the outcome is that we get a brief period of public exhibition of a "gross over-development" that the State Government's Urban Design Panel, appointed under the guidelines of State Environmental Planning Policy 65 (SEPP65), says in its report to Council "is unworkable and should not be given further consideration".

This "gross over-development" goes to public exhibition on a motion moved by Cr Laurie Maher.

Cr Peter Hale, elected on the developers' party ticket (Central Coast First) with Cr Maher, is forced to excuse himself from the meeting because he is the manager of the Ettalong Leagues Club.

Cr MacFadyen, of the party largely funded by developers (Labour), obliges by seconding the motion.

I raise these connections because Planning Minister Tony Kelly has announced a public inquiry into Tweed Council because of his concerns about the "appropriateness of the relationships between the elected representatives and proponents of development".

In our case, it would appear the councillors are both elected representatives and proponents of development.

Bryan Ellis, Umina