Kingscliff Chamber of Commerce has called a rally this Saturday to oppose the construction of a local area command centre in the village.
The plan received approval of the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) in October, against the advice of Tweed Shire Council, but just this week the NSW government received recommendations to abandon the local area command structure.
The Chamber cites numerous reasons for the site’s unsuitability, the main ones being overdevelopment of the site on Marine Parade, distance from the highway (potentially causing access problems in emergencies) and car-parking issues for a building that is likely to house more than 100 police officers on a 24/7 shift operation.
Residential amenity is also an issue, according to a media release issued by the Chamber, which claims, ‘There are approximately 50 residential units overlooking the rear of the proposed station and the holding yard will contain “impounded or crash victim vehicles”. A 24-hour station will attract tow trucks at all times of the day and night – imagine the view from your home looking into a holding yard containing blood-spattered wrecked cars.’
The site is also potentially flood prone according the Chamber.
Flood levels marked on council maps ‘clearly show the shortest north- and south-bound routes to the highway out of Kingscliff under water with no other access available with the exception of heading south and travelling twice the distance to get to the same position through more residential areas with 40km/h and 50km/h speed zones.
‘The worst-case scenario is that there is a tidal surge or extreme weather event and the LAC is cut off – not the best outcome for our community.’
The rally starts at 11am on Saturday 17 December opposite the current Kingscliff Police Station in Marine Parade.
