Forum –
In their Notice of Motion regarding the furtherance of the rail maintenance facility at Kangy Angy (Coast Chronicle, p27, Oct 7), Councillors Best, Gale, McLachlan and Marquart state that Central Coast Council stridently worked and voted against having the facility built, and that it was no wonder that Council was not invited to the opening ceremony.
Today’s Council did not impede or vote against this facility, merely requested that the site be moved from a Zone E2 and E3 rural zone to a suitably zoned area at Warnervale, which was Transport for NSW’s preferred site, and zoned industrial.
This is heavy industry working 24/7 in a predominantly rural area, one with protected species that have now been wiped out or self relocated.
Residents most affected by this facility uncovered all sorts of anomalies and, on the whole, had their requests, submissions and reports ignored.
The running sore is still running, with more questions regarding noise, pollution and flooding yet to be answered.
As for employment, those locals lucky enough to be employed would not have forfeited their opportunity with the facility being located just 11 kilometres further north from Kangy Angy.
Employment figures boasted have yet to be verified as true and realistic.
Neither the former Wyong Council nor State Government have answered the queries over the land deal either, valued at $422,000 and sold for a reported $17M.
Not only 4,000 trees bit the dust, the set aside rate still sitting at 13 percent, but no more habitat for rare Mahoney’s toadlet, and a resting place for the Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater, but the residents’ own little place of paradise has been desecrated.
It looks like these councillors want to extend that desecration.
Residents all along have said that if there was no other alternative site, then reluctantly, for “the greater good”, so be it.
The Kangy Angy site was patently unfit for purpose, and the Warnervale site eminently suitable and available, but after three years of hundreds of letters, submissions and meetings, State Transport refused to see sense.
Does Council now propose to add insult to injury?
Email, Oct 19
Susan Zgraja, Fountaindale