PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council has fired another shot in the debate over the future of the Plaza carpark site on Port Macquarie’s foreshore.
The council has released a community engagement report containing community feedback on how residents would like to see the Short Street/Plaza carpark site utilised in the future.
The report – which has already been forwarded to the Minister for Natural Resources Kevin Humphries – is the council’s response to the proposed sale of the site for use as a supermarket and specialty stores.
The car park adjoins the river front which the council is trust manager for on behalf of Crown Lands.
It represents a significant development opportunity and the council is adamant it should be sold through a public expressions-of-interest process rather than through direct dealings with Woolworths, which would like to expand a supermarket proposal for an adjacent site.
Called the Plaza Car Park – Community Engagement Report, the document consolidates information gathered from a series of engagement activities that the council conducted in order to ensure the sale process was carried out in line with its plan of management for the land.
Passers-by were asked to have their say by participating in a brief survey or the opportunity to have their photo taken with a story board of their comments at a pop-up style engagement on site on Wednesday 11 June.
A total of 130 people also attended a community workshop in the Glasshouse meeting rooms on the evening of Monday 16 June.
Mayor Peter Besseling said there remains a great deal of discontent with the manner in which Crown Lands has approached the in-principle sale of this public land via an exclusive negotiation process.
“Access and amenity in relation to the foreshore along Kooloonbung Creek was highlighted in the engagement sessions which are reflective of the general desire for any future development to be sympathetic to the activation of the waterfront,” Cr Besseling said.
“The community’s response showed a strong support for maintaining public access to riverfront amenities such as public toilets and grassed areas.
“There was also a strong desire for an open and transparent process for any commercial negotiations relating to the site, consistent with council’s publicly endorsed position.”
Cr Besseling has arranged a meeting with Minister for Natural Resources Kevin Humphries, who is also the minister for lands and water, to discuss community concerns in July.
In the note to Mr Humphries accompanying the community engagement report, Cr Besseling also welcomed any response from Crown Lands.
