Minister called to delay $80mil planning panel decision

TIM HOWARD

A Yamba residents group has called on NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully to delay the determination meeting of an $80 million manufactured housing development in West Yamba.

The chair of Yamba Community Action Network, Co Shephard, said Yamba CAN had fred off a letter to the minister on Monday asking him to order the Northern Region Planning Panel to delay a determination meeting set down for October 23 for Clifton Manufactured Home Estate at 110 and 20 Carr St Yamba.

Mr Shephard said Yamba CAN had also written to the NRPP secretariat asking it to consider adjourning the meeting.

Mr Shephard said the meeting should be adjourned to allow the newly elected Clarence Valley Council to have input into the meeting.

He said circumstances around the Local Government elections had conspired to disenfranchise the new council.

“Yamba CAN is very concerned that the NRPP Meeting occurs the day after Council’s frst anticipated meeting of the newly elected Council on 22 October 2024,” Yamba CAN wrote in it’s letter top the NRPP.

“Further to the above, when the newly elected council frst meet and are provided council’s assessment report on this very important, controversial development in the October 22 Business Paper (as anticipated), this does not allow the required timeframe for council to pass a resolution, that a submission be forwarded to the NRPP within the required seven days prior to the NRPP Meeting on October 23, supporting or not recommending approval of the development.”

The chair of Yamba CAN Col Shephard has fred off letters to the NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully, seeking his intervention in the NRPP meeting.

Mr Shephard said the timing of the meeting looked suspiciously rushed, especially after the NRPP decision earlier this year to knock back a decision for another food development in the same area.

Yamba CAN is aware Council staff work and negotiate with the NRPP Secretariat in relation to dates and timing of Council and NRPP meetings.

He asked the NRPP to “please inform Yamba CAN why the timing of this matter appears to be rushed for this development and why there has been insuffcient time for the matter to be provided to the newly elected Council to pass a Resolution to request a submission, in support, or to not recommend approval of the development to the NRPP Members for consideration, prior to the NRPP Meeting on October 23.”

A former Clarence Valley mayor and member of the NRPP, Ian Tiley said it was unfortunate the meeting had been set down before the council had time to pass a resolution.

Mr Tiley said there had been talk of an extraordinary council meeting ahead of the

October 22 meeting, but even this would not allow the council suffcient time to make a submission.

“There’s a bit of a conundrum,” Mr Tiley said. “The ideal thing would be for the panel to agree to put it back a fortnight.”

Mr Tiley also noted there were some similarities in the development to the Miles St development which the NRPP refused in June.

At the meeting the NRPP received conficting submissions from council staff and councillors.

“I think on the 17th (October 17) when the mayor’s elected, he should immediately contact the chair of the panel ands make the request, because, one, it’s a major development and two we want local input.”

He said the panel was not bound by any council resolution, but for democracy that the elected members voices were heard.

Mr Tiley also revealed he would like to continue in his role as a NRPP member despite his decision not to stand for re-election to council.

He said it was possible for a council to selected an independent representative to sit on the panel and he had the necessary experience to carry out the role.

If moves to adjourn the meeting were not successful, Yamba CAN said it would not be distracted.

Mr Shephard said the group had six members who had experience from presenting submissions to the Miles St hearing ready to back up again.

The only one missing would be former Yamba CAN secretary Lynne Cairns who had resigned from the groups executive when she was elected to council at the September 14 poll.

Mr Shephard said the group was heartened by the importance the NRPP placed on the testimony of people affected by recent foods.

“The third reason for the panel’s refusal was: “Having regard to s.4.15(1)(d)of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the Panel has also noted the level of community concern and anxiety about fooding issues and associated insurance costs, the complexities of riverine and stormwater food impacts, as well as problems experienced with food warning, evacuation and potential resident isolation in Yamba.

“The guideline to take the lived experience of people as evidence is an important consideration this time.

“We will have the evidence from the experience of the people in Grevillea Waters who give the experience of Jack and Joe Citizen whose homes and lives were affected by the foods.”

The Clarence Valley Council was asked if it could ask for an adjournment, but did not reply to questions.

But Mr Shephard said he had received letter on this matter from the council’s general manager Laura Black, who said it was a decision purely for the planning panel.

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