PLANS WILL SHAPE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT: Draft plans for the future development of the Great Lakes including Tuncurry (pictured with old water treatment facility) are currently on public exhibition.
GREAT Lakes residents have until August 24 to comment on draft plans for future development after Great Lakes Council placed two documents on public exhibition last week.
Both the Draft Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 2012 (LEP) and the Draft Great Lakes Development Control Plan 2012 (DCP) have been prepared as a requirement of the state government’s planning reform program, and will replace council’s two existing LEPs and 34 existing DCPs.
“The NSW Government is aiming to standardise planning controls wherever possible, to provide consistent planning rules across NSW,” council’s senior strategic land-use planner, Alexandra Macvean said.
“These draft plans affect every property in the Great Lakes local government area, so it’s important for land owners and residents to be aware of how these changes may affect them.”
The recent Office of Environment and Heritage case against developers Lampo and Bombala Pty Ltd and a resident push to rezone land on the Southern Parkway to environmental protection has put community focus on town planning issues and these draft plans will dictate much of council’s future direction.
Council’s general manager Glenn Handford said that the draft LEP and DCP would ensure that future development could occur with appropriate safeguards for the local environment.
“The focus for council now and into the future is creating the right balance in the Great Lakes; a balance between protecting our natural environment and ensuring that our towns and villages have opportunities to grow and develop,” Mr Handford said.
“Council has put considerable time and effort into the preparation of these new planning documents as they provide an opportunity to link our land use planning tools to the Community Strategic Plan 2030.”
Both plans will be on exhibition for a 10-week period.
“We especially encourage people to provide us with feedback on the draft plans. All feedback, whether positive or negative, is considered when finalising the plans for adoption,” Ms Macvean said.
“People can view the documents on council’s website or in person at council offices in Forster, Tea Gardens and Stroud or at the Bulahdelah Rural Transaction Centre during office hours.”
Council will also hold scheduled open days across the Great Lakes for members of the public to ask specific questions of planning staff relating to the draft plans. Contact council on 6591 7222 for open day details.
