MID NORTH COAST REGIONAL STRATEGY

The Centre has presented a comprehensive submission to the NSW Department of Planning for the Mid North Coast Regional Strategy. Local environment groups have joined a Total Environment Centre-sponsored coalition (RASP), and the submission aims to ensure protection of sensitive ecosystems, flood plain and the coastal strip from over-development.

The Strategy has allowed all previous inappropriate planning decisions to remain, many of which date back decades under the previous shire councils, and have now asked Councils to prepare new growth area mapping.

We have concerns that Councils will show more concern for increasing their rate base rather than the environment, the recent West Yamba LEP being a prime example. We have therefore written to Minister Sartor pointing out that there has been no community consultation thus far, and it is imperative that environment groups be allowed involvement in this crucial final stage in the planning process.

Our submission supports the identified growth areas at Junction Hill and Clarenza, but expresses strong opposition to Planning's identification of Gulmarrad as a growth centre. Much of this area is floodplain with high conservation value habitat and endangered communities. We point out the lack of facilities and job opportunities, and the unacceptable greenhouse gas implications of forcing residents to undertake the 100km daily round trip to access employment, medical facilities, and the retail centre in Grafton.

Other points in our submission:

• We are concerned that developer friendly councils will exploit the sustainability criteria that allows ‘innovative’ development to occur outside the Strategy guidelines.
• The environment's critical provision of life support systems is not acknowledged.
• Population data and employment predictions used by the Strategy are flawed.
• The strategy supports growth in the Coffs/Clarence region, quoting the as yet unbuilt and untried Shannon Creek dam as capable of providing water security. No climate change risks have been considered in the planning for the scheme which, if the predictions of climate change eventuate, will not be sustainable, and the dam quite possibly cannot be filled.
• Too little attention is given to the provision of adequate infrastructure such as sewerage systems.
• Prime agricultural land should be totally protected from development.
• The Strategy appears to endorse all current zoning regardless of natural hazards.
• Rural residential development has disastrous impacts on biodiversity. This unsustainable lifestyle choice needs a serious rethink. Major areas of land zoned in relatively remote areas like Coutts Crossing, need to be scaled back.
• The Environment Centre has identified areas we consider should be given formal protection.