We need your URGENT HELP today and tomorrow to stop Administrator Rik Hart from adopting a staff recommendation that will trash this region’s biodiversity and character – and that’s not CEN’s opinion alone, the Biodiversity and Science Group (BSG) within the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) agrees. Here’s what BSG said:

“THE PLANNING PROPOSAL … REDUCES THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF THE LAND” – Biodiversity Conservation and Science Group, (NSW DCCEEW)

Central Coast Council has ignored expert advice from NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and recommended Mr Hart pushes through a planning proposal that will undermine the region’s biodiversity and alter its future character and livability.

Mr Hart is being asked to adopt staff recommendations when council meets on Tuesday, May 28, that will irreversibly alter the character of over half the region, undermine the Coastal Open Space System (COSS) and ‘has the potential to affect’ biodiversity.

The planning proposal to ‘move’ deferred matters lands in the former Gosford Local Government Area into the Central Coast Consolidated Local Environmental Plan 2022 (CCLEP2022) will result in:

1. High value conservation land having less protection via inappropriate zoning;
2. The potential for over 3000 residential structures (dwellings, dual occupancies and secondary dwellings) to be built on 1037 allotments currently zoned 7(a);
3. Threats to Coastal Open Space System reserves and National Parks because adjoining land will not be zoned C2; and
4. Curtailment of the ability to expand COSS via voluntary acquisition of neighbouring land.

It was “vindicating” to read the council report and find that criticisms of the planning proposal by the Biodiversity, Conservation and Science Group (BCS) within DCCEEW were like those CEN had been making for three years.

However, it is devastating to see Central Coast Council staff dismiss the expertise of the BCS Group Mr Hart’s legacy will be to undermine the precious biodiversity of the Central Coast if he goes ahead with the staff recommendation.”

Comments made by BCS included:

1. “Any reduction in conservation outcomes, including additional permissibilities, will be difficult to reverse in the future…as it reduces the environmental protection of the land.”
2. Deferred lands should be assessed for High Environmental Value (HEV) as described in the Regional Plan 2041 in order to be compliant with current planning policy.
3. Alternatively (to zoning all 7(a) land C2) an ecological site assessment should be provided. BCS normally request a Stage 1 BAM assessment be provided where biodiversity has the potential to be affected.
4. New zones do not follow the vegetation boundaries. In this case BCS request that all the vegetation is zoned C2 (using straight lines) and it to be up to the landowner to justify why this should not be the case.
5. Contrary to p.56 of the Planning Proposal all land adjacent to National Parks should be considered ‘sensitive land’.
6. The C4 zone has been applied to lots that are constrained by flooding. it is considered that C2 or C3 zoning is more appropriate for the flood planning area.”

It is clear that the DCCEEW agrees with CEN: the recommendation being presented by staff has the potential to undermine existing Coastal Open Space reserves and National Parks and the region’s biodiversity because it reduces the environmental protection of the land,” Mr Chestnut said.

This advice is from the group within the NSW Government that has the legal responsibility to protect the natural environment and Aboriginal cultural heritage across NSW. How can Mr Hart ignore it?

Many other misleading statements are included in the report to Mr Hart: of the 328 submissions only 79 supported the planning proposal but the report calls that a ‘significant’ number. The report claims council must follow a NSW Government Practice Note adopted in April 2009 and claims it is more current that the former Gosford LEP, adopted in 2014.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Email the Administrator NOW on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and ask him to ‘DEFER DEFERRED MATTERS LANDS”. Tell him you disagree with the staff recommendation and ask him to consider the BSG advice that this will lead to biodiversity loss that the Central Coast cannot afford. Tell Mr Hart all 7(a) deferred matters land MUST BE ZONED C2 and all 7(c)2 land must be zoned C3. It’s that simple.
2. Email your local state member and urge them to contact Mr Hart about the BSG advice today or tomorrow before the meeting: Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Member for Wyong, David Harris, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
3. Register to speak at tomorrow’s public forum before the council meeting by completing and sending a Register to Speak form, prepare a three minute speech using the points raised in this email: https://www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/about-council/meetings-and-minutes/council-meetings
4. Phone a Ministerial Office. Let the NSW Ministers know we, the residents and ratepayers of the Central Coast want Mr Hart to at least Defer the Deferred Matters Planning Proposal. Key Ministers: Planning Minister, Paul Scully, Environment Minister, Penny Sharpe, Local Government Minister, Ron Hoenig and Minister for the Central Coast, David Harris. You can find their contact details here: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/pages/all-members.aspx?house=LA
5. Help us with social media engagement: share our post, comment, tell your friends. It is urgent and important… https://www.facebook.com/communityenvironmentnetwork