Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association (KRPA) has called for action, rather than more talk, on the dangers of approved legacy and zombie development applications (DAs) on floodplains.
‘KRPA and the Kingscliff community are deeply concerned over the current situation surrounding the Cobaki “legacy development” [in Tweed on Cobaki Creek]. This is a perfect example of the damage such approvals and land-banking can have in a community, particularly following the hard lessons learned from the 2022 flood events,’ Peter Newton, president of KRPA told The Echo.
‘KRPA has consistently called for a moratorium on all such developments until such time as flood inquiry and other review findings have been considered and actions determined by the government.’
Time for action – now
Local MPs including Janelle Saffin (Lismore), Geoff Provest (Tweed) and Tamara Smith (Ballina) along with Federal MP for Richmond Justine Elliot agree that action needs to be taken.
‘The Albanese government believes stronger planning laws are needed to stop building in disaster-prone areas,’ Mrs Elliott told The Echo.
Ms Saffin said, ‘The NSW Labor government will have this on their plate to work through along with a plethora of long-left-untouched issues’ but fell short of taking any direct action of legacy DAs.
‘KRPA was indeed heartened by the genuine concern and support provided by the Premier, Chris Minns, during his visit to Kingscliff last year, however, its now time for action,’ Mr Newton told The Echo.
During his visit residents raised strong concerns to Minns about the safety of residents and the social and economic impact should the development of these legacy areas proceed as normal.
Call for review
Following Minns’s visit KRPA, Chinderah District Residents Association, and the Tumbulgum Community Association wrote to then Premier Dominic Perrottet, and copied in now Premier Chris Minns, clearly stating that, ’we seek your support and intervention in halting, or at the very least pausing, any further development of flood-prone, low-lying land in our communities. We also request your support in calling for a review and changes to State planning legislation/instruments to negate the creation of so-called “legacy development approvals”.’
This was written with the support of Cabarita Beach/Bogangar Residents Association, Fingal Head Community Association Inc. and Tweed District Residents and Ratepayers Association.
Cobaki shambles
‘There’s been lots of talk and hang-wringing from our past and current elected reps over the last 12 months. As the Cobaki shambles illustrates, it’s now past time for action on this critical issue and our community deserves clear and concise action from the State government,’ said Mr Newton.
Immediate halt needed
‘Nothing less than a moratorium on all such developments and a clear commitment in line with Flood Inquiry and other review recs, including a planning overhaul to remove land banking and the scourge of legacy developments will suffice. We do not want a repeat of the Cobaki debacle in our community or indeed elsewhere in the Shire.
‘As we have consistently called for over the last 12 months, we would expect nothing less from the new State government to call an immediate halt to all such developments and undertake an immediate review of State planning legislation and instruments to effectively remove the ability for developers to hold legacy development approvals,’ he said.
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