Koala Survival 'A Council Priority'
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THE TWEED SHIRE Volume 2 #08 Thursday, October 22, 2009 Advertising and news enquiries: Phone: (02) 6672 2280 Fax: (02) 6672 4933 [email protected] [email protected] p12-13 www.tweedecho.com.au LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Rowdy loves her Diggers Sports Koala survival ‘a council priority’ Ken Sapwell the survival of breeding populations on the coast. Tweed Shire Council will fight to re- But the present plan did not reduce gain planning controls over a new the risk of koala mortality. town at Kings Forest and wants de- Mr Connell also revealed that Mr veloper Bob Ell to do more to prevent Ell could create his own development the extinction of the local koala popu- control plan (DCP) which would be lation, including a crackdown on cats ‘the principal planning instrument to and dogs. guide all future development at Kings The council has listed the koala’s Forest’ and would override the coun- survival as a priority amid a raft of cil’s own DCP. concerns about concept plans for the 880ha site west of Cabarita which is Poorly planned set to become one of the shire’s biggest As a result subdivisions were poorly towns with up to 10,000 people. planned with too many dead-ends It wants Planning Minister Kristina and narrow roads without footpaths. Keneally to insist that his company It contained a mix of traditional Leda Holdings prepares a new koala homes, zero-lot housing, duplexes, plan of management which provides mews, town house apartments and more natural corridors, at least one ‘shop-tops’. land bridge over a four-lane access The council wants their own stand- road as well as a ban on pets likely to ards to apply and that variations be attack koalas. justified on a case-by-case basis ‘rath- It also wants the Minister to remove er than a blanket removal of detailed planning powers from Mr Ell allow- controls that have been developed ing him to set his own development over many years.’ standards which has led to narrow Mr Connell’s staff also signalled roads, few footpaths and building concerns over other aspects of the Tyalgum farrier Robyn Donoghue shoeing her horse Phoenix in preparation for the barrel race at the Diggers Sports blocks as small as 175 square metres. concept plans which Mr Ell amended gymkhana next weekend. Photo Jeff ‘Steel Heel’ Dawson It has also supported a call by Cr in response to hundreds of submis- Barry Longland to ask Ms Keneally sions from the council, public and Kim Cousins horses. Anyone is welcome though; just before the rodeo for something to visit the shire so she can appreci- government agencies. the barrel racing gets some serious different. ate local concerns about the site and Some rezonings were not support- Robyn ‘Rowdy’ Donoghue used to racers.’ ‘It’s the first of the next 100 years,’ to consider imposing development ed on ecological grounds, including travel to the Tweed to participate Held almost every year except dur- she said. standards similar to Koala Beach. a four-hectare increase in residen- in Tyalgum Diggers District Sports ing World War II, the 101st anniver- Starting at 9am next Saturday, Oc- In a report to Tuesday’s meeting, tial land while all 16ha set aside for Gymkhana and Rodeo when she was sary of the event was postponed in tober 31, and running through un- chief planner Vince Connell warned protection had been cleared of native younger and now her daughter Cre- July this year after wet weather turned til 9pm that night, the not-for-profit that the fate of the shire’s dwindling vegetation or grew exotic pine trees. dence, an up and coming rider, has the grounds into a mud fest. event raises money for community koala population hinged on a plan The council also raised concerns joined her in the saddle. Tyalgum Diggers District Sports groups such as veterans, preschools of management ‘robust enough to over eroded buffers on a 57ha golf These days Rowdy lives at Tyalgum president Joan Eccleshare said it’s an and special needs children at the manage the site in such a way that course and a lack of land-forming and and spends most of her time work- amazing record and a great old-fash- school. it will avoid the local extinction of stormwater management plans as well ing as a farrier, but she comes out of ioned family day out. They are looking for stallholders koalas.’ as being dumped with ownership of retirement once a year for the Diggers ‘The skirmish will be great for the – Joan said there is space for about He said the site contained core non-complying infrastructure and a gymkhana. over 12s and there’s an alpaca petting a dozen. Held at the Tyalgum Show- koala habitat and bordered other 9ha artificial lake. ‘It’s only a small event but we get area for the littlies. For the real littlies ground, stall fees are only $20 and you colonies already under threat from The council endorsed the sub- lots of people,’ she said. there’s a jumping castle and there get two free entry tickets. To find out road kill, bushfires, dog attacks and missions which will be sent to Ms ‘It’s like a fun day for kids and their will be a Pas de Deux performance more call Joan on 02 6679 3897. urban expansion, and was critical to Keneally. LUXURY VINYL PLANKS PANEL GLIDE GSPN$50/m2 BLINDS '6--:*/45"--&% 8&"-404611-: "/%*/45"-- "'6--3"/(& 0'8*/%08 $07&3*/(4 100% WOOL BERBER $38/m2 '6--:*/45"--&% LAMINATE FLOOR $29/m2 SUPPLY ONLY 40-0.0/4'-003*/( %*:-".*/"5&'-003*/( '3&&6/%&3-": r(SFFOXBZ%SJWF5XFFE)FBET4PVUI <echowebsection=Local News> Local News Casuarina parking spaces reduced Ken Sapwell sion was a ‘fantastic outcome’ and rigour of the NSW Depart- most of the objectives. We • New ownership as of July 1st which smoothed the way for a ment of Planning officers who didn’t get all that we wanted • Modern, relaxed, biocompati ble denti stry NSW Planning Minister Kris- town centre and 2,500 square- worked on this application,’ the but we have achieved a good, • ‘On the spot’ bulk billing for EPC pati ents tina Keneally has overruled metre supermarket to be built managing director of Consoli- liveable outcome.’ • ‘On the day’ emergency appointments Tweed Shire Council and pro- by 2011. dated Properties said. This included plans to fill vided a windfall for Casuarina ‘It has taken more than four ‘There have been some an existing drainage easement Menti on this ad and a Professional Bleaching Kit estate developer Don O’Rorke years of work to reach this issues with Tweed Shire along the site’s north-eastern (normal value $600) will be off ered for $250, complete by allowing him to reduce point and I would like to ac- Council but we have worked boundary which had been with a complementary comprehensive examinati on. beachfront car parking spaces. knowledge the professionalism through those and achieved changed to require Mr O’Rorke 7/14 Middleton Street, Byron Bay • 02 6680 7774 The decision has been wel- to provide a 20-metre-wide comed by Mr O’Rorke and the open space corridor alongside town’s residents’ association but Public beach ‘effectively privatised’ the easement route. was described as ‘disappoint- The Greens have criticised between 2003 and 2007. The department’s acting ing’ by Tweed mayor Warren last week’s approval of the ‘Planning powers must be deputy-general Chris Wilson Polglase and condemned as Casuarina Beach Town Cen- returned to local govern- said the decision to reduce shortsighted by the Kingscliff tre plan, saying the process ment level, and approvals beachfront parking followed Ratepayers’ Association. was fundamentally flawed. must take into account the a ‘number of submissions Council planners, with the ‘When then Minister Sar- opinion of the community, raising concerns that the Es- support of council, had urged tor agreed with the develop- as well and environmen- planade Road would be ex- the Planning Department to ers in December 2006 that tal and social issues. I am tended the entire length of the retain a beachfront esplanade the development proposal disappointed the minister foreshore.’ with more than 100 parking was of state significance, would seem to have ignored ‘It was therefore decided that spaces in line with original and therefore should be as- community and council the road should extend for just plans for the development. sessed by the state govern- submissions in this matter.’ one third of the site’s foreshore They believe removal of ment under Part 3A of the Ms Hale said the decision frontage,’ he said. parking spaces would amount planning laws, the people of undermines council plans ‘This will preserve public to a de facto privatisation of Tweed lost their say in the and effectively privatises a open space, including a neigh- the beachfront and ignore the decision-making process,’ public beach. bourhood park, whilst also needs of a growing number of said Greens planning ‘The absence of an espla- maintaining adequate vehicle families visiting the beach at spokesman, Sylvia Hale. nade makes access to the access to the foreshore with ad- the weekends. ‘I am concerned that once beach difficult for anyone equate public car parking.’ But Ms Keneally announced again that donors to the other than residents whose Mr Wilson said the ap- she had agreed to adopt a new Labor Party may be seen to property backs onto the proved plans would create 500 concept plan put forward by gain privileged decisions beach, a concept which I jobs, provide low and medium Mr O’Rorke which reduced the through the operation of believe most people would density housing and tourist length of the esplanade by two- the Part 3A process, and find offensive,’ she said.