The recommended approval to rezone the Cudgen Plateau State Significant Farmland (SSF) for mixed-use high-rise development guarantees the continued development of the Cudgen Plateau SSF.
In response to a 2018 audit into corruption risks in the planning system, the then planning minister stated an anti-corruption measure would be securing updated local environmental plans to determine the shape of development in local areas and ‘the best way to prevent corrupt rezoning is to have strong local strategic plans’.
However, the proposed development is contrary to all local and state planning instruments and strategic plans, and has not justified such a gross development that is outside the Tweed’s urban growth area.
Enormous resources, time, work and dollars has been expended in developing our planning tools and strategic planning with extensive public consultation as statutorily required – all to be worthless.
There is a long history of three decades of development proposals on the Cudgen Plateau SSF that failed with proper governance prevailing. And the community has fiercely fought for the protection of the unique character and amenity.
The subject proposed high-rise development on the Cudgen Plateau SSF will see the reduction of the very values long fought for.
They are supporting our agricultural, tourism and associated industries, and Tweed’s own unique identity separate to the Gold Coast.
This will open the gate to pave paradise in a sea of high-rise wall-to-wall tar and cement. All the [political] assurances that there would be no further development on the Cudgen Plateau SSF were worthless.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
