Hastings Point 'Under Threat'

THE TWEED SHIRE National Volume 1 #11 Thursday, November 6, 2008 Advertising and news enquiries: Recycling Phone: (02) 6672 2280 Fax: (02) 6672 4933 Week [email protected] [email protected] November 10-16 See pages 12-13 www.tweedecho.com.au LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Hastings Point ‘under threat’ Ken Sapwell part ‘ to provide more definable planning controls.’ Hastings Point residents have hit an- But a bid by deputy mayor Barry other hurdle in their long battle to Longland and Greens councillor Katie secure a two-storey height limit and Milne to bring in the blanket controls density controls to protect their small was torpedoed by other councillors village from overdevelopment and who called for a closed-door work- avert what they see as an ecological shop to obtain more information. disaster. Cr Milne said the community had In a surprise decision, councillors been through ‘hell and high-water’ last week decided against adopting a over several years trying to stop overdevelopment control plan (DCP) to development and further delays in limit building heights and densities in bringing in the DCP would open the the village until they were briefed on door to more DA’s and subsequent the history of the long-running saga. court cases. Residents now fear the delay leaves But Cr Warren Polglase success- the door open for a rush of appli- fully moved to defer a decision, saying cations for residential flat buildings, there were conflicting views about including a revised application for a the proposed DCP and councillors seven-unit project in Young Street needed a detailed briefing about the which they stopped after going to the new controls which had the potential Joe’s incredible journey takes off Land and Environment Court three to spark a ‘civil war.’ months ago. Cr Kevin Skinner said that as a Madeleine Doherty For Joe it was hard work but more the full personality,’ he said. Council planners recommended landowner he found it hard to un- importantly a labour of love. A lot of his work is preconceived that the DCP, which reduces densities derstand why a majority of people Murwillumbah High School HSC stu- ‘I find art to be like therapy, and but many things simply happened and height limits from three storeys to in the village would want their land dent Joe Miller has been on a journey with many harsh issues going on along the way such as the use of wa- two, be adopted while they work on down-zoned. Cr Holdom said she did – an artistic journey. within my reality art is always a con- tercolours, map pins, nails, and pat- a more detailed locality plan to fine- not feel ‘comfortable that we have suf- Joe’s body of work for his HSC art stant, a method of escapism to calm terning with stationer’s whiteout. tune planning controls. ficient information to make an infor- major is made up of five paintings the mind. I treat art as a love, a psy- The large blue dot portrait was It followed a report by independent med decision.’ that he developed and worked on for chological healer and because of this the beginning from which the other urban design consultants who found Earlier, in an address to the coun- months. This week the many hours of my work becomes highly personal works grew, so these pieces contained that existing controls did not go far cil, planning consultant Mike Allen hard work paid off. and conceptually sophisticated,’ Joe more attributes of spontaneity, Joe enough to protect the village’s unique urged councillors to rescind the DCP His artwork was recommended by said. said. character. which he said amounted to a down- the NSW Department of Education The artwork as a whole (five can- ‘Over time I became less the master The consultants, Ruker Urban De- zoning and controls which didn’t exist marking team for transportation to vases) is a massive piece full of many of my work and a more passive crea- sign, also urged the council to extend in villages elsewhere. the Exhibitions Selection Centre in different mediums and many con- tor as it began to take on its own form the controls to the northern part of ‘I believe the (Ruker) report to Sydney to be part of the selection pool trasting and vibrant visual features. and indeed the work itself began to the village which the former adminis- council has been unduly influenced for the 2009 Art Express exhibitions. ‘The canvases work together to convey conceptual meanings to my- trators had excluded from the DCP by disproportionate weight being gi- Aproximately 800 HSC bodies of make one, and separately as a series. self,’ he said. for reasons yet to be explained. ven by a vocal minority from without work are set aside each year after This has been done on purpose so While Joe is excited about having The council’s new chief planner, the area,’ he said. marking to form a selection of highly that each canvas displays and can his work chosen for Art Express he Vince Connell, suggested the council The report was commissioned by ranked works from which a range of be seen to show uniquely different isn’t taking his eye off the main game adopt the DCP for the southern part the former administrators before mo- exhibitions can be developed characteristics as one person never – his HSC exams. And those, like a of the village and prepare a draft DCP ving to end 12 years of controversial Selections will not be finalised until has one personality but rather many good a piece of art, require a lot of to extend the controls to the northern continued on page 3 late November. unique attributes that together make hard work. @ AUTOBARN TWEED HEADS =H?:=?HBI * I7KI7=; <7 9; =?L;7M7OI F7 ?D J?D = 7FF;7H?D= % HARVEY I?PPB ; NORMAN OFF BBQ GALORE 20 TWEED HEADS HARVEY NORMAN CENTRE, STOREWIDE BUNNINGS GREENWAY DRIVE AMART FURNITURE PH: 5523 2055 I7J.j^#Ikd/j^Del AUTOQLDNO2133 *Excludes gift cards, Carryboy. Navigation & items already on sale. *% off regular ticketed price. Battle of Hastings Locals’ long fi ght to retain their village lifestyle Ken Sapwell running mate, watched from are posing a serious threat to the public gallery. one of the most unique ma- Hastings Point may be the (Coincidentally, Mr Lawrie, rine environments on the East smallest coastal village in the who decided against contest- Coast. Tweed, but locals say it’s got ing the recent elections, and He says volcanic lava fl ows some big problems. the Hastings Point landowner had created a labyrinth of un- The town’s progress asso- were among those in the pub- derwater caves and canyons ciation believes a development lic gallery last week to watch only metres offshore which onslaught is slowly killing off the latest chapter of the saga supported a huge variety of two creeks whose outfl ows are unfold.) tropical and semi-tropical vital in sustaining a unique Th ings appeared to get back marine life ‘more prolifi c than and exotic marine environ- on track when the administra- anything on the Great Barrier ment they fear is in danger of tors appointed aft er the coun- Reef.’ collapse. cil’s sacking again moved, in ‘Because it is underwater Now, after a 12-year cam- June 2005, to bring in a two- most people cannot appreci- paign involving ongoing legal storey limit, but according to ate the beauty and diversity of battles, a nude Youtube video residents, a series of events this marine wonderland on our protest and accusations which that are subject of allegations doorstep,’ he says. have been referred to the has continued to frustrate the He said big residential devel- ICAC, they are fi nally seeing process until recently. opments upstream and others a light at the end of what they In May the following year, being approved for the village say has been a very long and the administrators caused a are disturbing acid sulphate dark tunnel. storm when it approved the soils that contaminate the creek A team of urban design Marine biologist Ted Brambleby with his Hastings Point diorama. ‘aged-care facility’, with some aft er heavy rain, triggering un- consultants appointed by the residents complaining they precedented fi sh kills. former administrators and mended controls but others as building heights have been are fearful that stalled planning were unaware of the develop- ‘Th e increasing amounts of new chief planner Vince Con- said they needed more time to limited to two-storeys in other controls leaves the door open ment application until it was sediments and nutrients being nell has supported their push study the reports. villages while theirs has been for a 58-lot subdivision north given the green light. carried by the creeks is also for a locality plan that reduces Association president and left exposed to developments of the creek. Residents grew more upset slowly smothering the reef and densities and building heights local electrician Garry Th orpe which are at odds with its vil- Mr Thorpe says Hastings when administrators earlier killing the marine life,’ he says. to two storeys. says he remains hopeful the lage character and threaten to Point was earmarked for two- this year approved a three- ‘Th ese inappropriate devel- But they were forced to council won’t ignore the ex- further degrade the fragile ma- storeys along with Fingal and storey unit block next door to opments are a garrotte being watch in dismay from a packed pert advice and will agree to rine ecosystems.

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