Anyone aware of classic developer tactics will be aware of what is called the ‘ambit claim’.
This is where the developers put forward a proposal that is initially totally over the top. If, for some reason it gets approved anyway, they are over the moon.
As often happens though, negotiations take place. The developers can then portray themselves as being reasonable and listening to community concerns by scaling back their proposal to a degree.
The end result is often still way over the top but some individuals and politicians get sucked in by this tactic.
The developers though are still stoked (even if publicly disappointed), and the community still has a development that is totally inappropriate.
The massive proposal at West Byron has a good chance of proceeding in this way I suspect.
This proposal is before the NSW government (not the local Byron Shire Council) and therefore (Ballina MP and Minister for the North Coast) Don Page has some influence.
Byron Bay, and the site itself, just can’t digest this development for all sorts of reasons, even if tinkered with around the edges a bit.
Don, I think many in the community would be disappointed if you claimed some sort of victory if some minor scaling back gets final approval from your government.
Please request the Minister for Planning to just say ‘No’, and hand it all back to local council where it belongs.
Mark McDermid, Broken Head
From email Sera Taschner (DPI)
‘I have had a couple of people contact me as they were having difficulty with lodging their
submission online, however we have received numerous submissions without incident. I have checked at this end and there is no technical problem that would explain any issues in lodging online.
Anyone having difficulty can email their submission to me direct at [email protected] (my email address is also on the webpage), or if they prefer the Department’s information centre ([email protected]). I have been advised that the ‘online submission’ option should also
remain available after today’s formal close of submissions if anyone is lodging a late submission (or again, the submission can be emailed to me or the Department’s information centre direct).
A ‘formal’ advertised extension for making submissions is not proposed, however as you know
the department will be receiving submissions up until 10 Feb 2014 as agreed with some parties. The department will also consider any submissions from other individuals or parties received up until that
same date. If anyone is seeking to lodge a submission after 10 Feb, can they please contact me.’