Cessnock LEP 2009 - Lies and Deceit from Cessnock Council and Planning Authorities
Updates
LEP Limbo for Wollombi Valley
Date: 01-Feb-12
By: Paul Flemming
Cessnock LEP approved: Planning controls updated
Date: 18-Jan-12
By: Cessnock Advertiser
Draft LEP and your DA
Date: 18-Aug-11
By: Cessnock Council
Cessnock council staff 'disaffected'
Date: 04-Mar-11
By: Joanne McCarthy (The Herald)
Oh $@#* Not Again! Cessnock LEP back on the agenda...
Date: 15-Feb-11
By: Peter Firminger
Wollombi Update - 17 September 2010
Date: 17-Sep-10
By: Peter Firminger
Cessnock Council Takes a step backwards - rejects environment and heritage protection
Date: 16-Sep-10
By: Cessnock-Kurri Greens
Cessnock draft LEP back on exhibition
Date: 30-Jun-10
By: The Advertiser
Draft LEP to be re-exhibited
Date: 24-Jun-10
By: Cessnock City Council
Re-exhibition of Cessnock Draft LEP 2010
Date: 15-Jun-10
By: Peter Firminger
Meeting March 10, 2010 - Wollombi Valley Working Party (draft LEP)
Date: 10-Mar-10
By: Frederic Aubineau
Review Paper - Clause 10
Date: 08-Mar-10
By: Paul Flemming
PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF LEP 2009 - THE BEGINNING OF THE END
It has been quite a while (some 18 months in fact) since the issue of a new Local Environmental Plan (LEP) for the Cessnock Shire was confronted by the Wollombi community and I am sorry to say that despite undertakings and assurances by both Cessnock City Council and the NSW Department of Planning, given as a result of strenuous lobbying by a united community seeking justice and fairness for property owners rights and entitlements, we find ourselves in a worse situation than previously imaginable.
Draft Cessnock LEP 2009 is now on public exhibition (for a period of 10 weeks) and this signals the beginning of the end of what has been a long and tedious process for CCC to comply with NSW Department of Planning requirements for updated and revised LEP's to conform with the DoP's "new and simplified" template model of planning and provide "uniformity and consistency" across planning instruments in NSW. This of course is just the beginning of the misinformation process as we see firsthand the current Cessnock LEP 1989 swell with bureaucratic pride from a svelte 70 pages to a "simplified" Draft LEP 2009 of some 130 pages plus many hundreds of pages of associated documents, literature and planning instruments that must be read in partnership with the new plan if one is to gain any meaningful understanding of the content and practical implications contained within, for property owners.
It is not my intention to try and fully explain in detail the most significant and draconian elements of the new plan and how they apply to the Wollombi Valley (and any other area currently proposed to change to an Environmental Management E3 zoning) except to raise the following major points for consideration and further investigation by concerned property owners.
- the loss of dwelling entitlements currently provided for on "existing "holdings" in Cessnock LEP 1989.
- the loss of entitlements for tourist accommodation cabins currently permitted
- the loss of entitlements, currently permitted, for small scale agriculture (ie not on a commercial scale)
- the loss of entitlements currently permitted to erect stables.
- the loss of "exempt development" concessions (only recently introduced into the current Rural 1(a) zone)
- the subsequent and significant loss in value of all property effected by these restrictions. I estimate that certain properties will be rendered virtually worthless if these changes were to come into effect. What would you pay for a property that you could not legally undertake any development on?
The Wollombi Valley is being unfairly singled out for changes that will have a dramatic impact on property values and amenity over the next 20 years and forever change the nature of the region in which you chose to invest in. We have been given no practical or plausible explanation by council planning officers as to why this is so other than "to add to the suite of Environmental Zones in the Cessnock Shire". We are being offered no compensation for the dramatic loss in values that will result as a consequence of these proposals. We have been lied to and deceived by both Cessnock Council and NSW Dept. of Planning officers.
It is also the beginning of the end for property owners and residents to have their say about these issues and take some control over their future, if they could care less. There is one thing that we know for certain and that is if we do not unanimously stand together to oppose these proposals then we will surely have the future bureaucrats and town planners deem we deserve with no one to blame but ourselves for our apathy and disinterest. It is clear that Cessnock Council planning officers (and by their complicity, Cessnock Councillors) are happy to see "the Wollombi" s
Comments (3)
Posted: 25-Aug-09 08:48 by Ken McShane Permalink
As an outsider looking at finishing up and selling up from Newcastle to shift to the Wollombi area, this news has come as a huge shock.
Until I see for myself what effects this would have on living and working in the area from a small property, I have grave concerns as to whether this would now be a good idea. Based on Stephen's words there are now lots of doubts in my mind.
I have had previous problems with trying to establish a business in the area and Cessnock Council virtually made it impossible for us to achieve that. Now it seems like they may have put a barrier to even living there. I'm quite happy to become involved in whatever it takes to bring this to a halt.
Posted: 25-Aug-09 11:48 by Jonas Ball Permalink
There are a number of other implications in the changes in zoning - especially for land that currently has a Rural 1A zoning. Basically most activities that you can undertake without consent - now required development consent from Council. This includes:
Boat sheds; cellar door premises; dual occupancies; dwelling houses; environmental facilities;
environmental protection works; extensive agriculture; farm buildings; home businesses;
home industries; horticulture; intensive plant agriculture; jetties; recreation areas; roads; rural
worker’s dwellings; secondary dwellings; sewage reticulation systems; tourist and visitor
accommodation; viticulture; water recreation structures; waterbodies (artificial).
So now you will need to get development consent from council to graze livestock!!!!!!!!!
Council has not consulted properly on this significant changes
Posted: 31-Jan-10 15:46 by Patrick Robinson Permalink
Having just listened to the interview with Ben Fordham I wish to express our thanks to Steve Annis -Brown for exposing the appalling proposals contained in the Cessnock City Councils draft LEP.
We cannot allow our rights and entitelments to be destroyed, having outlayed a small fortune to acquire property and Dev. Approval for Tourist development , and to now be faced with the loss of these rights due to planning "madness", is devastating.
We have to fight and win our rights to 'A FAIR GO "
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