Rezoning not formal
July 01, 2010
Section: Opinion
The Otford Protection Society has requested that the Department of Planning progress a rezoning of land at Helensburgh and Stanwell Tops (Letters, W&NL, 17/6). There are a number of outstanding issues with this request.
The proposal does not:
adequately justify why the department and not council, should progress the rezoning;
adequately identify the land;
include the views of the local council; or
provide sufficient detail on the proposed planning controls.
At this time, the request does not represent a formal planning proposal and the department is unable to progress the proposal or upload it on the LEP tracking system.
The department has written to the Otford Protection Society to encourage the society to talk to council and has indicated that it is happy to assist in these discussions.
- Neil McGaffin NSW Department of Planning
Comment count: 1
The primary reason for the planning proposal was to reflect the views that the majority of the local & Illawarra community has held for forty years - a planning proposal aimed at conserving the scenic qualities and crucial wildlife corridor linking the Royal National Park to the Illawarra escarpment. Its an uphill battle to fight the influence of affluent developers and their political friends, but for the future of the iconic National Park, the public's Illawarra escarpment, endangered species, Sydney Drinking Water, Hacking River catchment and the scenic beauty of the Grand Pacific Drive, the Otford community and Illawarra residents will battle on until this region is safe from bulldozers and concrete trucks.