In the latest “world-class” billion dollar waterfront proposal announced for Gosford and surrounding areas including Point Clare and Ettalong, which Central Coast Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, released this month, I note a developer/investment banker proposes to build a fast ferry wharf/terminal at Ettalong.
He also plans to privately operate a dredge in the fragile world-class tidal estuary and national park area of Box Head, quite possibly upsetting the natural sand flows and natural environment of the estuary, and potentially upsetting or destroying the world-class fishing and world-class surf break that encompasses the Box Head Ettalong Beach area.
We are told this is necessary to allow access for completely inappropriately large sized fast ferries with giant foils, most certainly not designed for use in the small tidal estuary which is Brisbane Water/Broken Bay.
If this was not already bad enough, it is also proposed that the world-class Gosford foreshore area, including waterfront land and current main road, be gifted to the proponent’s development company to build hundreds of units including a hotel and commercial/retail space.
All this, of course, is conveniently claimed as “commercial in confidence” by Council, allowing the proponent to avoid any community oversight or consultation of the proposed project thus far.
There is also the alleged revelation that this proposal has been on the desk of Central Coast Council for almost 12 months already.
Mr Ian Reynolds, surely, entertaining this claimed billion dollar waterfront proposal in secret, that can only be described as a potential, blatant grab by private interests of public land, and possible reckless environmental endangerment to the world-class natural environment of the local area, is the last thing a non-democratically elected Council Administrator should be even considering at this time.
Although the term world-class and Central Coast Council should certainly never be used in the same sentence, I would though suggest Central Coast Council wholly concentrate on current more urgent administration tasks at hand.
Most importantly for the residents and ratepayers of the Central Coast, ensure that Central Coast Council deliver timely, world-class, democratic Council elections in September.
Email,
27 Feb 2017
Martin Axe, Tascott