A late Mayoral Minute calling on the NSW planning minister to reject Cudgen Connections, a large DA proposed on state significant land (SSL) around the Tweed Hospital, was adopted by Tweed Shire councillors yesterday.
As previously reported, the development has been strongly rejected by not only Council, but residents, claiming that SSL should be retained. Political promises were also made not to develop the land.
Local Labor MP Justine Elliot has since changed her position and now supports the development.
A letter will be sent by the mayor to the NSW Labor planning minister, asking him to honour ‘the decades of strategic planning the Tweed community has put in place to protect
the soils of the Cudgen Plateau and plan strategically for water demand’.
Mayor Cherry will ask the minister to ‘not ratify the Cudgen Connections Rezoning application’.
The summary of the minute reads, ‘On 6 July 2026, the Northern Regional Strategic Planning Panel determined to recommend to the Minister of Planning and Public Spaces that the plan be made with amendments for the rezoning of prime agricultural land to enable a private hospital, essential workers dwellings, research facility, medi hotel and associated land uses known as “Cudgen Connections”. In making this decision, the Panel considered a
post exhibition report along with all written and verbal submissions made to the public meeting held on 19 June 2026’.
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