Planning Advisory Panel from NIRAG

From : Northern Illawarra Residents Action Group (NIRAG)
To : NSW Government Planning Assessment Commission (PAC)


The Northern Illawarra Residents Action Group (NIRAG) is a community organisation dedicated to protecting the natural and cultural environment of Wollongong's northern suburbs. 

We wish to have our views considered by the Planning Advisory panel, who we understand are presently considering the Sandon Point development application by Stockland and Anglican Retirement Villages. We are concerned that the present PAC process is not an open process, with no call for public comment.

NIRAG as well as many of its individual members have contributed submissions on every  public process relating to the rezoning and development proposals of Sandon Point since 1984.  Along with a great many other residents and community groups we have repeatedly voiced concerns about overdevelopment on a coastal floodplain of Aboriginal cultural significance.

We have also been involved in pursuing Stockland's non-compliance with court-ordered conditions of development.  Various cases have been brought by the community and NIRAG in attempts to protect the many environmental and cultural values of the site. These disputes have left the community with very little confidence in any undertakings Stockland makes.

The panel will be aware of increasing concern about the legal and financial implications of coastal development as sea levels and storm activity are predicted to rise.  These problems have been most recently recorded in the parliamentary report "Managing our Coastal Zones in a Changing Climate", tabled by the committee chaired by Jennie George. We submit that this awareness underlines the need for the greatest caution in approving any further development at 
Sandon Point.

NIRAG are happy to provide any information or documents that the Planning Advisory panel may require.

Yours sincerely,

John Croker
Hon. Sec. NIRAG