Tweed Council will see two complicated development applications (DA) DA20/0860 and DA05/0004 relating to the construction of a haulage route to transport fill to sites for residential development at Chinderah near Kingscliff come to council again this evening.
At the February 4, 2021 meeting councillors voted to further investigate residents concerns over the haulage route and bringing in extra fill from the Pacific Highway upgrade at a workshop. The workshop included councillors, concerned residents, the Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association Inc (KRPA) and the developers Gales-Kingscliff.
Local concerns
Writing to Tweed Councillors KRPA has stated that they do ‘not support the proposed haul road and recommend that the originally approved fill option, (the pumping of sand across Tweed Coast Road from the Gales quarry operations) be utilised. However, the Association also provided a number of conditions which our members consider should be applied to the current DA should the original haulage option not be possible.’
These included ‘an end date’ for the haulage period, consideration of the traffic management issues on the surrounding roads and the need for increased noise mitigation.
‘KRPA clearly accepts that fill will need to take place in order to facilitate the development that will follow. However, our clear and unequivocal position is that the fill needs to (and can) happen with a focus on reducing the ‘pain’ to the community as much as is possible.’
Gales responds
Responding to questions from The Echo Gales-Kingscliff Director, Stephen Segal said that a key issue is the fact that Council moved the haulage route closer to Noble Park.
‘We, Gales, never wanted the road close to Noble Park, the Council moved it close to Noble Park against our representations, submissions, presentation and efforts to council,’ said Mr Segal.
“It [the haulage route] is not where we wanted it, it is where council wanted it. The truck movements are in fact reduced overall and the approved truck rate/maximum movements are now split between Altona DA (approved, west of Tweed Coast Road) and this Haul Road DA.’
The DA is recommended for approval from council staff and Mr Segal made it clear to both The Echo and Councillors that if the DA does not get approved then it will be taken to court.