The Northern Rivers Times Edition 128

By MARGARET DEKKER

Tweed Shire Council will write to the NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts, seeking to defer the commencement of the Perrottet Government’s new Rezoning Pathways Program in the Tweed Shire until consultation with other NSW LGAs and the broader Tweed community has occurred.

Under the new ‘Rezoning Pathways Program,’ announced earlier this month, the NSW Government will assess and select state or regionally signifcant planning proposals, or lead the rezoning work from start to fnish, with all land to be rezoned by 2024.

“Working with councils, rezoning is one important lever that we are pulling to get the ball rolling on more housing supply across our state,” Dominic Perrottet, NSW Premier said.

“We are throwing everything at getting more houses built so more people get keys in doors and can realise their dream of owning a home.

Anthony Roberts MP, Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes, said the Rezoning Pathways Program is part of the Government’s $2.8 billion Housing Package for New South Wales.

“This is all about accelerating the rezoning of key housing areas to make more land development-ready for new homes.”

The package includes a pilot process for proponents ready to offer more than 300 homes in Regional areas of NSW –like new housing estates

or big apartment blocksthat could be assessed by the NSW Government.

“We want projects that can make a difference to our housing supply quickly, which is why we are seeking nominations for proposals that are well advanced with a planning proposal able to be submitted within two months, Mr Roberts said.

In a late Mayoral Minute put to Tweed Shire Council at last Thursday’s meeting, Tweed Shire Mayor, Chris Cherry moved that Council write to NSW Planning Minister, Anthony Roberts, seeking deferral of the Rezoning Pathways Program until consultation has occurred with other NSW Councils and the community.

“The impacts could be quite intense,” Cr Chris Cherry, Tweed Shire Mayor said.

“The proposal is that any development that

are 300 units or over will be dealt with by the State Government, assessed and determined by the State, and there is not a lot of information on how much our local

planning controls will be consulted, how much our local community will be consulted, and it’s

essentially really taking local control out of our planning arena.

“Is it not a great thing for local democracy,” she added.

Mayor Cherry

acknowledged the want and need for greater affordable housing in the Shire as quickly as

possible however not at the cost of losing the Tweed’s unique planning controls.

“We can’t do it at the expense of losing our local planning powers”

Cr Nola Firth welcomed Mayor Cherry’s motion which the Greens councillor

strongly supported.

“It really is concerning that the State is doing something like this without any consultation with us, we’ve gone to this enormous amount of trouble to develop our own local controls, we’re in the throws of doing a growth management and housing strategy at the moment and I’m very disappointed by this,” Cr Nola Firth said.

It’s understood Local Government NSW, the peak body representing state LGAs, was blindsided by the state’s Rezoning Pathways Program, which Cr James Owen fears is too remotely controlled.

“We’re very unique up here and a lot of Councils will say that but that’s why the planning’s been very Sydney-centric and a lot of planning seems to be driven by Sydney but we need to have our own unique

identity up here, our own options for doing things, we know our community better than anyone.”