Land zoned for housing, conservation on South Wallarah peninsula
Posted On June 1, 2012
The rezoning today of three key sites in the State’s Central Coast and Lower Hunter is expected to result in more than 900 new dwellings and the protection of 848 hectares of high-value conservation land.
The rezoning of the Coal and Allied sites at Nords Wharf, Middle Camp and Gwandalan in the Wyong and Lake Macquarie council areas was approved by the NSW Government today.
Acting Executive Director of Urban Renewal and Major Sites for the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, Michael File, said the rezoning was a major step toward preserving important conservation lands in these regions, while also providing additional housing supply.
“The rezoning is expected to lead to the development of 935 dwellings across 100 hectares of land, including 90 dwellings at Nords Wharf, 222 dwellings at Middle Camp and 623 dwellings at Gwandalan, subject to development application approval,” Mr File said.
“It will also trigger the transfer of approximately 848 hectares of high conservation value lands to the NSW Government to be reserved as national parks.”
Key threatened species, populations and ecological communities will be protected as a result of the rezoning, including significant areas of the following endangered ecological communities: Swamp Mahogany – Paperbark Forest, Riparian Melaleuca Swamp Woodland, Narrabeen Foreshore Redgum – Ironbark Forest.
Rezoning proposals for the three sites had to be withdrawn and then re-lodged in 2010 after the Land and Environment Court found the use of “memorandums of understanding” between the former Minister for Planning and proponent were invalid.
Since that time, the rezonings and associated planning agreements (which outline State infrastructure funding and conservation land arrangements) have been re-exhibited and the planning agreements signed ahead of the rezoning.
The planning agreements deliver State infrastructure contributions to help fund facilities including Pacific Highway intersection upgrades, the Gwandalan Public School expansion and a new emergency services facility for the South Wallarah Peninsula.
Source: Projectlink.com.au
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