Western Sydney group to meet with Brad Hazzard this week about urban sprawl

ADI Cumberland Plains Woodland

by StreetCorner
31/01/2012

The Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc, an alliance of conservation, resident groups and concerned citizens, is meeting with Brad Hazzard the NSW Planning Minister this Friday the 3rd of February to discuss his urban sprawl policy which is opening up thousands of hectares on the urban fringe. We will be seeking answers from the Minister as to how his urban sprawl policy can be delivered sustainably, protect key remnants of bushland and the quality of life of residents.

Minister Hazzard will also be called on to explain his broken election commitment that the Liberal Nationals would stop Lend Lease from destroying an additional 100 hectares of critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland at the former ADI Site in Penrith.

“WSCA will be seeking from Brad Hazzard an explanation as to how his planned new urban release areas can be delivered sustainably, with minimal impact to the environment and the quality of life of locals. Brad Hazzard appears to have thrown the sustainability criteria (attached) for new urban development outside of the identified growth centres out the window.”

“The fast tracking of land release on the urban fringe, in other words mass urban sprawl, by Barry O’Farrell is complete madness. It is nonsense to argue that this will make life better for the residents of Western Sydney. This will only further trash our quality of life and our environment.”

“The winners from the Barry O’Farrell’s urban sprawl will be developers. Most of these identified land releases are many kilometres from any access to public transport or critical infrastructure. This is a return to the ad hoc planning days which governments promised were behind us.”

“In Penrith, for example, there is 2400 hectares identified for release of which most is completely isolated from any proper infrastructure. To allow that amount of land to be fast tracked for release would be planning madness. The car will be the only way people can commute“

“In the Hawkesbury a 180 hectare site is identified on Grose Vale road that has no proper infrastructure and if allowed contemplates a new bridge across the Nepean River which would cut through 2 Nature Reserves. The residents of that area currently sit in traffic grid lock trying to get across the Nth Richmond Bridge. So if the housing goes in without a new bridge or widening of the old one then people are going to go insane. ”

“We want him to tell us that when bushland is to be cleared where the environmental offsets will be found and who will pay for them.”

“Essentially what people want is a limit to further urban growth, not more of it, and that the government fix up the infrastructure for the current population”

“If there is land that can be sustainably released on already cleared land then that provides Brad Hazzard another reason why he should step in to zone areas of endangered bushland, such as at the ADI Site, which he promised would be protected, for environmental conservation. In other words to ensure his policy delivers some positive outcomes for the environment.”

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Comments

simonalex posts

These are very well put arguments for the limiting of suburban growth and the serious statutory protection of remaining bushland (of any size) on the western fringes of Sydney. Massive suburban land release is not an intelligent and responsible solution. What can the NSW government learn today from Germany, for example, where small dense townships are surrounded by productive farmland and native forest. I trust the meetings with Minister Hazzard are productive and a meaningful shift from what appear wasteful suburban land use can be achieved as soon as possible.

simonalex posts

Worth reading in parallel - Why is the Govt land release perpetuating this problem? http://theconversation.edu.au/paving-our...

VivKay posts

How is 30 or 40 more years of "sustainable growth" really sustainable? It's an oxymoron. Why even bother with the carbon tax if the number of carbon emitters will continue to rise? Any "saving" of carbon emissions will be outstripped by population growth. Already we have the biggest extinction rate of species. How can flora and fauna be protected while being engulfed by urban developments?

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