Waste of ratepayers’ money

Let's hope the dealing with 29 rezoning proposals is adopted by administrators at the Tuesday night meeting without any interruptions. (MERCURY 22)

It is known certain land speculators in the Helensburgh district, who own 7d Hacking River Catchment land and who have been hammering Council for years, will be doing everything they can to get their zoning for their own properties overturned to allow open slather residential.

These few land speculators have wasted ratepayers’ money in surveys and  the like. The last one in 2006 cost $20,000 with the same answer, no change.

Under the new LEP, it will be E2 - Environmental Conservation. It will protect the Hacking River Catchment, ensuring the State Government acknowledges the wildlife corridor between the Royal National Park and the Illawarra Escarpment will remain intact.

Council is supposed to have a separate review (again!!) of the 7d zone for these few speculators in the coming months. Currently there have been 230 submissions on this zoning change.

Let's just hope those wanting to protect it far outweigh the few who want the open slather, thus saving money on another survey.

By closing the loophole that allows the continual comeback, it will put a finish to this continual annoyance to Council and waste of ratepayers’ money once and for all.

Alan Bond

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