A day prior to an extraordinary meeting of the Local Planning Panel, a conservation group has called for a halt to proceedings.
The LPP is due to consider a proposed house and garage for 129 Alan Street, Niagara Park on land that is zoned 7(a) Conservation under IDO 122, part of deferred matters still to be updated under Council’s latest Local Environment Plan.
The application was considered by the Local Planning Panel at its meeting of 16 December 2021.
The matter was deferred at the meeting pending the submission of additional information and again deferred in February of this year.
It did not attract any public comment when on public exhibition.
Central Coast Community Better Planning Group (CCCBPG) says the application is missing crucial information.
The Environmental Impact Statement has not been signed off in accordance with the applicable Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2000 (EPA Reg 2000), the group said.
“I fail to see how this matter can be determined by the CCLPP or even how Council’s planning staff have assessed it without noticing the absence of the legally required signed declaration on the EIS,” spokesman Gary Chestnut said.
“I believe this oversight means the Planning Panel cannot lawfully consider this matter. It needs to be re-advertised with a signed copy of the declaration within the EIS exhibited to the public.”
The group believes the steep and densely vegetated land should be conserved in its entirety.
“During this latest period of administration, we have seen Central Coast Council sell off high-value conservation land at Doyalson and withhold information about its ecological value. Now we have Council supporting a DA that fails to comply with EPA Reg 2000 and would result in indefensible loss of flora, fauna and habitat immediately adjacent to a Gully Rainforest,” Mr Chestnut said.
The report states the building would be sited on the part of the site that was previously an orange orchard.
The LPP meets at 3.30pm June 30, but the meeting is not open to the public.
Council Watch has asked Council if the meeting went ahead.
