Greens welcome Land and Environment Court decision

The Central Coast Greens have called for owners of the Rocla sand quarry at Calga to donate the site for conservation after rehabilitation.

The Central Coast Greens congratulated the community on their recent win in the NSW Land and Environment Court which will protect an environmentally and culturally sensitive area at Calga.

An appeal launched by the owners of the Walkabout Park with the Darkinjung Land Council and upheld by the Land and Environment Court, overrules a previous NSW Government Planning Assessment approval given for the expansion of the Rocla sand quarry site at Calga.

“We are thrilled that the court has been able to stop this project from proceeding, especially due to the community’s concerns over groundwater, ecology and cultural heritage risks,” Greens spokesperson, Ms Justine Suthers said.

“Planning should be about balancing all interests of the community, with no one aspect outweighing the other. “This is why no amount of conditions imposed by the court would have mitigated the real and severe impacts of the project.

“The court’s decision has validated the community concerns over the last 10 years and given them certainly to get on with their lives,” Ms Suthers said. “Now the owners should do the right thing by the community and donate the site for conservation after rehabilitation,” she said.

Media release,
Nov 18, 2015
Justine Suthers, Central
Coast Greens