A band of Kingscliff residents have vowed to keep fighting as long as they can to secure the parcel of land known as Lot 490 (crown-land between Kingscliff and Salt) as a nature reserve.
Kingscliff residents, led by Gerry Cornford and Trevor Reece, have vowed to battle to stop a planned development and save the land.
They said there were 12 endangered species living on the land, including the critically endangered Beach Stone Curlew.
“We believe that, under the state environmental law, any development that is likely to endanger the habitat of a critically endangered species cannot be continued,” said Mr Cornford, one of 28 people who spoke at a NSW Planning and Assessment Commission hearing at Kingscliff Beach Bowls Club last week.
The hearing was designed to assess a development application for the site which at one stage was earmarked for a Casino and which Leighton Properties have now gained use of after signing a 99-year lease agreement.
Under the DA, lodged by Leighton Properties in 2007 and then later revised, there could be an “eco-style beachfront resort” on the 43ha parcel of crown land, on the southern side of Cudgen Creek between Kingscliff and Salt. The plan consists of 127 low-rise bungalows as well as community facilities.
Mr Cornford said the land had been dormant since sand mining ended in the area in the 60s, with many local residents believing the bushland had regenerated in that time. There have been many reporting sightings of wallabies and Glossy Black Cockatoos by residents on their morning walks and rides along the bike track between Kingscliff and Salt.
It is now a waiting game for both Leighton Properties and those against the proposal as the PAC go away and consider the entire issue (reports/submissions, etc) and then make their determination.
“The project is currently going through the statutory process including the planning assessment meeting. On conclusion of this process we will decide on our next course of action,” Managing Director of Leighton Properties Mark Gray said this week.
“We have undertaken extensive analysis and studies including detailed community consultation which has been provided to the Planning Assessment Committee and they are conducting their process inclusive of the public meeting.”
Mr Cornford and Mr Reece said they were speaking to the Environmental Defenders Office and other organisations to consider their options.
“The battle is on to stop the development and save the land as a wildlife corridor of immense importance and one that also borders a very sensitive marine eco-creek system,” Mr Reece said.
Well-known Tweed Coast Dune Care member Kay Bolton also spoke at the hearing on behalf of all of the local Dune Care groups on the Tweed coast – Fingal Head Coastcare, Kingscliff Dunecare, Dreamtime Beach Dune Care, Cabarita Dune Care, Casaurina Beach Landcare. Hastings Point Dunecare and Pottsville Dune Care – a combined membership of some 350 members.
“Why should we allow one of the few last remaining significant areas of coastal vegetation be cleared when it is so precious and we have so little coastal vegetation left,” she said.
“We all know this vegetation provides habitat, and a corridor for a huge variety of flora and fauna including endangered flora and fauna species.
“Today, right now, another significant area of coastal vegetation is being cleared at Casuarina for the new shopping centre. Over the next few weeks we will see not only the total destruction of all the vegetation including mature habitat and feed trees, but we will also see the displaced and distressed birds, possums, bats, wallabies, echidnas, bandicoots and reptiles become road kill and we’ll see these desperate animals seeking alternative homes and habitat which are obviously becoming increasingly difficult to find. Do we want to see this happen again when Lot 490 is cleared for this resort?”
She said it was suggested in Leighton’s environmental assessment that Lot 490 consists of degraded vegetation.
“It actually contains significant vegetation with great biodiversity,” she said. “It does need some weed control and enrichment planting and I have spoken with members of the dunecare groups and they have made a commitment to assist the Tweed Shire Council with the revegetation of this area. A project combining all the skills of all the groups as well as skills from the broader community can result in Lot 490 being restored to healthy coastal woodlands and wetlands within four or five years.”
Mrs Bolton said Paul Forward, one of the Planning and Assessment Commissioners, in his summing up, said they now have the opportunity to reject this application, accept it as it is or accept it with modifications.
“The opportunity to reject it is definitely still an option and if the Commissioners were listening, which they were, they would have to reject the development outright as 26 of the 28 speakers were absolutely against any development of the area,” she said.
Northern Rivers Guardian president and Kingscliff resident Scott Sledge said his group had three preferred uses for 490.
“1. To leave the land as it is, with protection added by a declaration of endangered coastal habitat to allow for native wildlife to abide along the western side of Cudgen headland and in the adjacent shallow waters of Cudgen Creek,” he said.
“2. Establish walking and cycling tracks to picnic shelters for passive recreation; or
“3. Reduce the density of the proposed resort to approximately 50 units, which should be truly ‘ecological’ with stand-alone provision of electricity, water catchment and composting toilets. This third option is in response to the so-called ‘eco-village’ concept.”
