Forum –
Many community members who support sustainable development on the Central Coast may rightly be concerned to see developers standing alongside local and state politicians, advocating for reduced environmental and biodiversity regulations (CCN, November 27 – Housing availability on Coast is “slim pickings”).
The Chair of the Urban Design Institute of Australia (UDIA) [featured in that story] should declare his interests and be more transparent in his motives to lobby for fewer, rather than greater controls on local development.
Never mentioned in the article are the considerable downsides of increased urban densities and infill on the Central Coast, which will lead to greater congestion, environmental degradation and a further reduction in biodiversity.
Additionally, claims that housing DAs need to be speeded up, despite the apparent “steep rise in housing completions” appears to be contradictory, although not surprising given that this industry group spruiks on behalf of developers.
Biodiversity and environmental regulations may be some of the most significant issues to constrain development on the Central Coast, but they are there for good reason.
Many people on the Central Coast do not want to see Gosford become another Gold Coast, to profit the new generation of the “white-shoe brigade”, while seeing our quality of life eroded by unsustainable overdevelopment, given our fragile infrastructure.
That’s why a democratically elected local council needs to be reinstated as soon as possible, to speak for the whole community, not just those who are looking to make a quick buck.
Email, Nov 30
Tahir Turk, Springfield