19.9 C
Byron Shire
March 28, 2024

Evans Head dust storm triggers question of RVC competence

Latest News

Splendour 2024 cancelled

It's official, Splendour in the Grass 2024 has been cancelled.

Other News

Editorial – Let’s do the development dance!

Some good questions were raised by residents at last week’s Council meeting – and were ‘taken on notice’ by Mayor, Michael Lyon.

Coveted Wollumbin Art Award open for young and old

Are you an artist in the Northern Rivers? Now is the time to get your art ready and submitted to the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre’s coveted biennial Wollumbin Art Award.

Biz confidence up, says Business NSW

The state's peak body for business says confidence in the sector has increased but cost of living pressures continue to impact customer spending.

Save Wallum finalist in NSW 2024 environment awards

The Save Wallum campaign has been named as a finalist in the Nature Conservation Council of NSW Environment Awards 2024. The award ceremony will be held in Sydney tonight, and Save Wallum spokesperson and ecologist James Barrie will be attending with Tegan Kitt, another founding member of the group.

Protecting nature and naturism from prejudice in Byron Shire

A new regime of social repression is imposing itself over the Byron Shire. Supported by local conservatives, the NSW National Parks Wildlife Service is attacking diversity and a particular minority group in Byron Shire – naturists.

Richmond MP again called on for immediate Gaza ceasefire 

On Saturday, March 16 Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine unfurled a 20m scroll with the names of murdered children and host a ‘die-in’ action at the office of the federal Member for Richmond, Justine Elliot (Labor).

Dust storm at the Evans Head Manufactured Homes Estate. Photo supplied

The dust storm that was blown up by hot westerly winds on Monday at Evans Head Manufactured Homes Estate has raised questions about the ability of the Richmond Valley Council (RVC) to not only manage the large scale development but to assess the upcoming Iron Gates development.

According to locals the dust storm badly affected a large number of local residences adjacent to the Manufactured Homes Estate along Currajong Street whose houses and backyards were filled with dust and sand.

Evans Head Manufactured Homes Estate site. Photo supplied

Controversial rezoning approval

The site was approved for development in 2017 by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) under then chair of Garry West. It occupies part of what was once the World War II Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome containing taxiways and Bellman Hangar sites.

‘The land for the development was sold off by Richmond Valley Council for residential development following controversial approval for rezoning by then NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally,’ said Dr Richard Gates, President of the Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome Committee Inc (EHMAC).

‘Keneally was unresponsive to requests from the EHMAC to explain how she had approved known contaminated land immediately adjacent to an airfield for residential development in contravention of State Environmental Planning Policy 71 (Coastal Protection) and in spite of evidence showing risk for aviation accident.’

Dust storm at the Evans Head Manufactured Homes Estate. Photo supplied

Where is the dust plan?

According to Dr Gates the approval for the development of the Manufactured Homes Estate ‘included a requirement for a “Management Plan” before the filling operation started. That Management Plan was to include a “dust suppression” strategy to protect the environment.

‘I have not seen the Management Plan but if there was one, it has failed badly letting the local people down and raising serious questions about Richmond Valley Council’s capacity to management large developments. But more than that raises serious questions about council’s liability in what will be a significant clean-up operation and potential cost to ratepayers,’ he said.

‘There was no-one on site yesterday during the dust storm and apparently there were difficulties raising council and the contractor doing the work on the site. This is not the first time there had been a dust issue at Evans Head with new development where council have managed the matter poorly.’

Off site building

The premise of a manufactured estate in NSW legislation is that the housing is built off site and then erected on site, however, it appears that the houses are being built on site.

‘Has Council changed the status of the development but not informed us about the change?’ asked Dr Gates.

‘Council does not have a good track record when it comes to keeping stakeholders informed about what it is doing. We prepared the original successful application for State Heritage Listing of the site in 2002 and have stopped council for making serious blunders in the past such as irrigating the airfield with effluent from the local sewerage treatment plant, a plan which would have destroyed most of the drainage system of the airfield plus environment,’ he pointed out.

Flooding of aerodrome land from manufactured homes estate next door. The flood water flows into a waterway containing the endangered pygmy perch Nannoperca oxleyana. Runoff from residential development is a known risk factor for the fish.

Flooding

The issue of flooding at the site was also drawn the NRPPs attention prior to the approval of the Manufactured Homes Estate DA.

‘The current development includes a very large amount of fill to not only replace the material lost during “decontamination” of the site but to build up the land for the development well above the existing ground level for the aerodrome,’ said Dr Gates.

‘Prior to the fill the land flooded regularly, the problem being made worse by the fact that Richmond Valley Council destroyed the major drainage system which had effectively drained the aerodrome.’

The sensitive site of the controversial planned Iron Gates development, which the state government has refused to consider without a masterplan. Photo Supplied

Iron gates DA

Currently the RVC are undertaking the assessment of the controversial Iron Gates development that is seeking a 175 lot development next to the river.

‘Overall the failure of Council to manage the major dust problem yesterday at the Manufactured Homes Estate along with a number of other failures relating to development raise serious questions about Council’s capacity to manage large complex projects,’ Dr Gates said.

‘But more than that raise serious questions about Council’s capacity to evaluate effectively the fourth version of the proposed Iron Gates development and manage it should it be approved. We note that Council was named by Iron Gates Pty Ltd (in liquidation) and developer Graeme Ingles as a ‘first defendant’ in a $30 million Queensland Supreme Court case in 2006.’

‘The State government through the Northern Regional Planning Panel has passed the buck for evaluation of the proposal to an apparently “unwilling” council which stated in correspondence to the NRPP (24 August) that “It is reluctant to assume the Ministerial responsibilities for assessment of the SEPP 71 master plan heads of consideration which come with the amended/varied development application”. ‘

Independent investigation

Dr Gates said today that there was a need for an independent investigation of what happened at the Manufactured Homes Estate on Monday including an examination of council’s capacity to evaluate and manage large projects.  Y

‘Yesterday’s “Desert Storm” was not acceptable and should never have happened,’ he said.

‘Will ratepayers end up paying the bill as they did for decontamination of the airfield which cost ratepayers millions of dollars?’

Submissions on the Iron Gates DA can be made until October 24.


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

1 COMMENT

  1. Who ever accused R V C of being competent ?
    We live in the greatest natural wonder in the World, The Northern Rivers but ….. we pay the highest rates in NSW and have the most incompetent /corrupt councils .
    Every one of the councils should be investigated by ICAC . Funds have been lost to sub-prime mortgages in the USA , unbelievable amounts paid for ludicrous ‘artworks’, while unavoidable roadworks and services are hived out to sub-contractors with a business plan based on sub-standard works prematurely failing at great expense to ratepayers.
    Local Government , can we survive it ? G”)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

We just love him!

If you’re over 50 you might not be a fan of Tom Jones, but you can bet your mum is. If you’re under 40 you might not even know who he is, but your grandmother probably wet her pants at the mere mention of his name.

Peter Garrett gives Bluesfest the nod

If I say the words ‘US Forces give the nod’, I can pretty much guarantee that you will hear the unmistakable voice of Peter Garrett ringing in your ears. Your head may even start to bob up and down a bit. 

Save Wallum finalist in NSW 2024 environment awards

The Save Wallum campaign has been named as a finalist in the Nature Conservation Council of NSW Environment Awards 2024. The award ceremony will be held in Sydney tonight, and Save Wallum spokesperson and ecologist James Barrie will be attending with Tegan Kitt, another founding member of the group.

New report highlights gaps in rural and remote health

The second annual Royal Flying Doctor Service ‘Best for the Bush, Rural and remote Health Base Line’ report has just been released. Presenting the latest data on the health of rural and remote Australians and evidence on service gaps, it identifies issues in urgent need of attention from service providers, funders, partners and policy makers.