Local community groups at Evans Head are putting out a ‘Call to Action’ after being excluded from the Land and Environment Courts (L&EC) hearings and deliberations over the development application (DA) for Iron Gates. The ‘Call’ follows the revelation that the L&EC could decide next Friday, 16 June whether or not to allow revised plans for residential development at the controversial Iron Gates site. The Community Against Iron Gates Development and Evans Head Residents for Sustainable Development Inc. (EHRSD) are urging the community to write to the General Manager of Richmond Valley Council asking him to oppose new plans being accepted by the L&EC.
The DA was refused by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) on 30 August, 2022 following two independent reports recommending refusal. Issues were raised that the site is on a floodplain, was at risk from bushfire which were among the many reasons for the DAs refusal.
The community has opposed the Iron Gates development for over thirty years due to the flood and fire risks as well as the impact on the Evans River. Both the former coalition government and current Labor government said that no more development should take place on floodplains following the devastating 2022 floods.
Access to hearing
Evans Head Residents for Sustainable Development have written to the L&EC asking for access to the hearing to be made public so that the community can monitor the hearing. As it presently stands the community does not have access. They were also excluded from parts of the on-site inspections earlier this year. The Association is hopeful that their request will be met in the interests of ‘transparency and accountability’ and ‘the public interest’.
A spokesperson for the EHRSD said today that next Friday could be a critical turning point in the case should the L&EC accept the application from Goldcoral Pty Ltd who are represented by Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
‘Goldcoral has been put into “Administration” and the case taken over by Corrs from developer Ingles’ solicitor Aaron Gadiel of Mills Oakley. (Gadiel was chief of staff to Eddie Obeid when he was Fisheries Minister and by 2005 was chief of staff to the Ports and Waterways Minister, Joe Tripodi: source: Fin Review 11 February, 2016, Circular Quay cafes ‘paid $1000 a week to Eddie Obeid’s wife’), said the spokesperson.
Incorrect flood plans used
‘If Council does not contest the application for a revised DA, and it is accepted by the Court, the public could easily be shut out of any future deliberations about the matter including the opportunity to challenge the application and present new information critical to the refusal of the DA in this inappropriate location.
‘For example, It is now clear that the 2014 flood plans for the site are not correct despite the problem being drawn to the attention of Rous Council in 2014 before they were finalised. (As it presently stands there is limited access to these files which were apparently revised in 2019. Richmond Valley Council confirmed that it did not have the two files Pertinent correspondence held.)
Defence should buy land
‘It should also be noted that there are other opportunities for a more appropriate use of the land. The land is closer to the central target area of the RAAF’s Evans Head Air Weapons Range than either the eastern or northern boundaries of the restricted zone and is subject to aircraft noise from a number of different aircraft including the recently acquired Joint Strike Fighter. The land could be acquired by Defence as a buffer zone against noise and as a biological ‘offset’ against other State and Federal government developments to prevent a land use planning conflict as seen elsewhere with Defence properties such as Salt Ash near Williamtown. The land is already an identified “Wildlife Corridor” and is surrounded by land the subject of Native Title Determination. It could be that sale of the land to Defence might resolve issues relating to the developer (and his backers) getting a return on their investment rather than continuing to push the costly and time consuming inappropriate residential development envelope.’
Take action
Both the Community Against Iron Gates Development and Evans Head Residents for Sustainable Development Inc.
‘We urge the public to contact Richmond Valley Council as soon as possible. Email the General Manager of Richmond Valley Council by Tuesday, 13 June next at the very latest, requesting that the Council oppose the amended plans,’ said the spokesperson.
‘Why? Because the amendments are likely to be so extensive as to warrant a new DA process. It should undergo the usual Council assessment process. This includes public exhibition, inviting submissions, and assessing these and other community and government agency feedback.’
You can write to the General Manager at: [email protected].
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