Caravan Park refused - Koala habitat saved

By Sarah Waters

A proposal for a 112-site caravan park in an ecologically significant part of Pottsville has been slammed as unacceptable by Tweed Shire Council staff.

Mayor Chris Cherry moved a motion to refuse the development application for the caravan park during council’s September 7 planning meeting.

A report by council staff stated the proposal for 1126 Pottsville Road, could not be supported due to the impact on the ecological values of the site, including koala habitat and close proximity to coastal wetlands.

A number of mature native trees, including koala feed trees, are within the proposed development footprint.

It would be setback about 10m from important coastal wetlands with part of it extending into an environmentally protected area.

The intended use for the 112 long term sites was also questioned in the report.

It was not made clear how many sites would be occupied by caravans or if manufactured/ moveable homes would be put on the site.

Ms Cherry said she strongly supported council staff’s recommendation to not let the development go ahead.

“We’ve got a proposal before us of 112 sites in a site itself that contains a lot of precious wetland vegetation, it’s a flood liable site and bushfire liable location as well,” Ms Cherry said.

“It’s not in the public interest - we have got 320 submissions on this item and 319 are objecting to it.”

“One of the major concerns raised in the report is the lack of sewerage capacity available for this development.

“We combine all those different things … then I think we really need to stand firm on this and defend it in the Land and Environment Court.

“It’s a really, really big issue for Pottsville if this one goes ahead,” she said.

Councillor Nola Firth was also firmly against the proposal.

Ms Firth said if it were to go ahead, more than 80 trees would be removed due to bushfire management clearing.

And 26 sites would be in the prohibited coastal wetlands and littoral rainforests area.

“The whole area is in the koala plan of management and the koala corridor,” she said. “There’s just a whole litany of quite extreme things that are being proposed here.

“I’m very strongly in favour of us making sure that such a precedent never ever happens here.”

Councillor Meredith Dennis said koala protection groups, including Tweed Coast Koalas, had

‘expressed a great deal of distress’ regarding the development.

“We do really need to protect the coastal wetlands and the environment for the koalas and the fact that we’ve had so many objections - that’s an indication of how strongly the community feels about this,” Ms Dennis said.

Council voted unanimously to refuse the application.

The proposed caravan park included 112 long term sites, reception office, manager’s residence, toilet and laundry amenities, a bowling pitch, pool and barbeque area.

It touted Pottsville as a highly desirable coastal town which is attractive to tourists looking for a change of destination.

The developers ‘statement of environmental effects’ report said the caravan park would facilitate the restoration, rehabilitation and ongoing management of the vegetated southern portion of the site.

Housing Development To Go Ahead At Former Mullumbimby Hospital Site

The transformation of the former Mullumbimby Hospital site into a vibrant mix of diverse and affordable housing, public spaces and community facilities could take place by next year.

Byron Shire Council staff have submitted a planning proposal to change the zoning of the site to allow for its redevelopment.

The finalisation of the planning proposal will involve amending the Local Environmental Plan and approval from the NSW Government.

Earlier this year, councillors supported a change to the zone and the height of buildings on the site to 11.5m to increase the potential yield for affordable and diverse housing.

Council will run an enquiry by design workshop with community representatives later this year to develop and test concept plan options for the site based on the new Local Environmental Plan controls.

The information will inform a development control plan that will set out the preferred expectations for the site. Council’s director of sustainable environment and economy Shannon Burt said, “it is our intention to make sure that what is eventually built on that site meets the future needs of the community and fosters and supports all that