Edition 467
8 April 2019
Development action groups to consider joining forces Three resident actions groups concerned about development standards are likely to come together to oppose non-compliant development. A meeting is planned of the Residents for Responsible Ettalong Development, Save Woy Woy Waterfront and Save Our Woy Woy groups. This will “allow members to come together and create a strong group to oppose all non-compliant developments on the Peninsula”, according to Save Our Woy Woy founder Mr Harvey McDougall. Mr McDougall said the community had the right to expect that developments complied with planning controls. “Unfortunately, there are too many which are going through that are non compliant,” he said. Mr McDougall said the council had put itself in a difficult position. With so many non-compliant developments, it made it difficult to refuse others. “The precedent has been set. “What is Council going to do?” Mr McDougall said “allowable
variances” should not exist in the planning controls. Designers should be able to create properties that both fit within the planning controls and meet a high standard of design, he said. “It used to happen before when we only had two levels of height as the limit. “Surely in this age of technology, designs of the highest standard can be achieved without going outside the parameters.” Mr McDougall said that the community needed to be fully consulted about planning provisions being applied to the Peninsula. He said the Council was currently not helping and the State Government was ignoring the problem. “It is time to bring all people to the table and work together for the benefit of the Peninsula.” He said State parliamentarians, councillors and planning staff should be involved and listen to the community, and not just “the everpresent developers”. SOURCE: Media Release, 3 April 2019 Harvey McDougall, Save Our Woy Woy
Palm Beach ferry runs aground The Palm Beach Ferry ran aground in the Ettalong Channel on March 9. The ferry ran aground at Half Tide Rocks just before 5:30pm with three Marine Rescue NSW vessels and a team from NSW Police’s Marine Area Command attending. “Thirty-one ferry passengers were safely transferred off the vessel before NSW Police vessel WP 42 and Marine Rescue vessel
Cottage Point 31 relocated the vessel,” said Marine Rescue volunteer Mr Roger Palmer. “Cottage Point 31 was able to secure a tow line to the ferry’s bow and, with all passengers removed and a solid three knot current, towed the large vessel to deeper water,” Mr Palmer said. The crews were able to get the ferry afloat again and on its way just after 6:30pm.
He announced: “The ferry that earlier ran aground at Half Tide Rocks at the entrance to Brisbane Water is now safely on an emergency mooring and all Marine Rescue NSW vessels have been stood down.” SOURCE: Social media, 9 Mar 2019 Roger Palmer, Marine Rescue Central Coast Technical failure blamed - Page 4
Mehrtens questions generator pollution at Woy Woy tip Local ward councillor Richard Mehrtens has received a response from Central Coast Council to questions he asked about air pollution at Woy Woy tip. Cr Mehrtens said a constituent had raised concerns about air quality after reading a report that described the air pollution as medium. Cr Mehrtens asked if council staff were concerned about the pollution generated by the “gas abatement” facility operated by AGL at the Nagari Rd tip. Central Coast Council staff provided the report to the March 25 council meeting in answer to Cr Mehrtens’ questions.
Cr Mehrten said the AGL plant was the only registered industrial facility listed in the 2256 postcode area on the Australian Government’s National Pollutant Inventory. He said it was listed as emitting a total of 102,180kg pollutants. The inventory included 61,000kg of carbon monoxide, 28,000kg of nitrogen oxides and 12,000kg of sulphur dioxide. and listed 11 other pollutants including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, polychlorinated dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as particulate matter. Council staff reported that the AGL facility at Woy Woy tip was
a renewable energy generation plant, operated under a long-term contract. Gas generated from within the landfill at the Woy Woy tip was captured and converted to energy. The report stated that the conversion of the methane enriched gas into electricity at this site was not considered to impact on local air quality. It said the landfill gas was predominately comprised of methane and was converted to electricity through the use of a generator. The resulting electricity was then sold into the grid. From the year to August 2018, the one megawatt generator
produced 7437.12 megawatts of electricity which was equivalent to meeting electricity needs for about 1191 average Central Coast homes. The report estimated the methane destroyed by the facility was equivalent to 38,197 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This would be equivalent to removing 11,234 cars from the road for one year, the report said. The report stated that the Australian Clean Energy Regulator recognised the greenhouse gas abatement and renewable energy activities undertaken at the tip and the site qualified for Australian Carbon Credit Units and Largescale Generation Certificates.
After the staff response, Cr Mehrtens said the council response indicated that it didn’t consider the facility impacted on local air quality and, until he was provided with evidence to the contrary, he had no reason to doubt council’s assessment of the safety. “At this time, I am satisfied with the response provided and have no intention to pursue this further,’’ he said. SOURCE: Central Coast Council agenda 5.7, 25 March 2019 Website, 4 Apr 2019 Woy Woy Landfill, NPI Media statement 5 April 2019 Richard Mehrtens, Central Coast Council
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