New housing impacts – just don’t mention it

As a resident of the northern Central Coast and a ratepayer, I find it alarming that we only find out about major housing proposals down the road or around the corner as they are about to be approved or released without identifying the many hidden impacts.

Don’t mention that everything within planning for our future supports and is in favour of the developer, the Council, the pro-development Administrator and the State Government.

We have legislations in place which are supposed to protect our bushlands, lakes, beaches and especially our welfare, yet still the giant developer’s trojan horse runs rampant with massive housing estates which are now just beginning to show their destructive impacts.

Don’t mention the massive traffic jams during peak times leading to shopping centres that have run out of parking spaces or simply getting out of our streets and onto the highway.

Don’t mention the destruction of our pristine bushlands and wait for summer, when you won’t get a parking space at your local beach, unless you are there before sunrise.

Don’t mention when all the new homes turn on their ducted air conditioning or water their new lawns and we are told to minimise our water usage or turn off our lights.

Don’t mention the infrastructure needed to make our region sustainable.  

Certainly don’t mention the massive health concerns of the region that has cancer incidences reaching 102 per cent above the Australian average and acute asthma in many of our children.

Don’t mention our hospitals not coping with the numbers of patients presenting at emergency departments.

Don’t mention the capability of our schools and pre-schools or if they can handle the number of new children about to be surging into our region.

Don’t mention the condition of our roads or the lack of maintenance of our public amenities.

Don’t mention the promised regional park in our Structure Plans which fail to materialise.

Don’t mention our antiquated public transport system.

Don’t mention the loss of open space, trees and habitat for our wildlife.

If you happen to mention all the above, you may be classified as a left wing, radical greenie, but please don’t mention that!

Email, Aug 8
Gary Blaschke, Lake Munmorah