By BELINDA PARKES
MOVES will be made to reclaim Kingscliff’s Lot 490 from the State Government, after the pin was pulled on a tourism development on the land.
Leighton Properties had been granted State Government permission last year to build a $100 million bungalow-style eco-resort on the 43 hectares of Crown Land between Kingscliff and Salt but has now decided not to go ahead with the project.
Conflicts between Tweed Shire Council and the community over the best future use of the high-profile site came to a head in 2004 when the NSW Government decided to take control of Lot 490 from the council, which it later sacked.
But Leighton’s withdrawal has opened the door for the council to again have a say over the land.
Councillors last week voted unanimously to use the opportunity of the scrapped development to try to get a new vision for Lot 490, but this time they want to make sure the community feels involved.
Councillor Katie Milne called on her fellow councillors to support a public workshop about Lot 490’s future, with an invitation to be extended to the NSW Minister responsible for Crown Land, Katrina Hodgkinson.
She also urged the council to write to Ms Hodgkinson and ask her not to pursue any further development on the beach-and-creek front site because of the community opposition and concerns about impacts development would have on the coastal environment of the area.
The council is expected to pay for the upkeep of the coastal reserves and income-generating development on coastal reserves is one way of raising the necessary funds.
At the very least, Cr Milne said, an independent review of the costs and environmental impacts if a development went ahead should be carried out.
“Our role as a council is to lobby and advocate on behalf of the community,” Cr Milne said.
“ … Lot 490 is in the hearts of this community and people really do find a lot of sanctuary in these areas that aren’t developed.”
But Mayor Barry Longland warned against holding a workshop with a preferred outcome in mind, such as Cr Milne’s suggestion it not be developed at all.
He said councillors should first be informed of all the issues surrounding Lot 490 followed by a public meeting with the people of Kingscliff, Casuarina, Salt, Cudgen and Chinderah, as well as the minister, so potential uses of the site could be discussed with an educated and open mind.
Some councillors have already suggested the council, rather than a private developer, is most likely to be the driver of any future development projects on Lot 490.
Councillors were unanimous in their support of letting the people have their say on Lot 490’s future.
