Court judgement a wonderful surprise

Gosford Council has had a win in the Land and Environment Court with the announcement that a retirement village proposed on sensitive bushland site at Woy Woy has been rejected, according to Liberal party spokesperson Ms Debra Wales .

Ms Wales said the proposal by Providence Projects Pty Ltd. for a 41-unit retirement village was a contentious issue with the locals who put a strong argument that the land was worth saving from development.

Ms Wales and Norah Clark, who organized an outdoor rally in August 2004 to save the 2.1 hectare site, said it had come as a wonderful surprise to them.

"It's just fantastic news to think there is still hope that this land may come in to public ownership," said Ms Wales.

"The land is zoned 2(a) single residential land and should never have been considered for medium density units.

"We have come right to the wire on this one and the hard work and care of people in the community has paid off."

Ms Clark, who until recently headed the Melaleuca Wetslands bushcare group, said that the land was one of the few remaining parcels of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland.

"On this particular site, there are some rare and endangered species including bangalay, rough barked angophora, swamp mahogany and hard corkwood trees, all precious to our local environment," said Ms Clark.

Ms Wales said that council now had the opportunity to negotiate with the Broken Bay Diocese, the owners of the land, in offering a reasonable price for the land so that it can come into public ownership.

Ms Wales said that it could no longer be valued as a potential 2(b) medium density and should be valued at raw 2(a) land after the court's decision to reject the proposed retirement village.

"I am certain that the Broken Bay Diocese building committee will consider the feelings of the local community and be willing to negotiate a reasonable outcome for all," said Ms Wales.

Press release, February 22 Ms Debra Wales, Liberal Party Peats electorate