Public meeting about Peninsula 'progress'

Peninsula residents have responded loudly to our petition calling for no more high-rises in Ettalong as shown in the Peninsula News on May 16.

As of Saturday, May 21, we have collected more than 1000 signatures calling on the Minister for Planning Mr Craig Knowles to not allow the rezoning of the old Ettalong Club site that would enable Multiplex to build a seven-storey block of residential units.

Residents are dismayed that such a gross overdevelopment of the site could even be considered, let alone encouraged by our council.

Many locals encouraged us to go even further and call for a halt to all unit and villa development on the Peninsula.

Unfortunately for most, the Peninsula Urban 'Developers' Strategy, now on public exhibition, is calling for more of the same, only denser. But it will be prettier.

This further densification of the suburbs coupled with high-rise in the town centres will quickly make the Peninsula unliveable.

The State Government budget released last week shows that once again Gosford and the Peninsula will not get the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the growing population.

The fast train link to Sydney and Newcastle promised 10 years ago has fallen off the tracks despite the State going into massive debt to provide infrastructure in other parts of the state.

The new plan for Ocean Beach Rd is a further indication that the local roads simply can't cope with the present volume of vehicles in peak times.

Improvements will be swamped in the coming years making it faster to walk from Umina to Woy Woy station where you will be lucky to get a seat on the slow moving trains.

As a result of public anger at this Council's version of Progress, residents have decided to hold a public meeting at Ettalong Progress Hall, Memorial Ave, at 2pm on Saturday, June 11.

For further Information, contact Bryan Ellis on 4342 2251.

Bryan Ellis, Woy Woy