North Coast community unite against housing development on ecologically sensitive land
A North Coast community fighting to stop a development on ecologically sensitive land says state planning laws are the real enemy. Byron Shire council says its 'hands are tied' when it comes to stopping an approved housing development on land that's home to 26 threatened species.
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TVTranscript
00:00 It's the voices in the newspapers, that's what's going to make a difference.
00:06 Another day, another development attracting the ire of a coastal community.
00:11 The latest flashpoint is on the outskirts of Brunswick Heads where a 130 lot housing
00:17 development has been approved.
00:19 It makes me cry.
00:20 It's sacred and it's sacred for a reason.
00:23 I've witnessed a lot of destruction of all of our sacred sites around here in the Byron
00:27 Shire so for me it's just important that it stays like this.
00:31 We need to shed some light on the issue and see what's exposed.
00:36 Campaigners have been combing through planning laws for avenues to stop the development,
00:41 which they say is out of step with modern environmental and social values.
00:46 Although this development has been approved under a loophole in planning legislation,
00:50 the community is really clear that they're going to stand in the way of construction
00:56 here.
00:57 The developer says it has ticked all the boxes.
01:00 How much do you do?
01:02 We've gone through the process within the architecture of the rules that are set out
01:06 by the state government and the council.
01:09 Communities continue to struggle to balance the need for more housing with environmental
01:13 protection.
01:15 This has not been a pleasant process for me personally, for councillors, particularly
01:21 as I see it.
01:23 We really do have our hands tied, we have a very limited role to perform here.
01:27 A parliamentary inquiry into planning laws in New South Wales is due to start next month.
01:34 Among issues on the agenda is the ability of councils to block developments deemed a
01:39 risk to people or the environment.
01:42 Wallum unfortunately is absolutely characteristic of our failing planning system.
01:49 It's an inquiry many feel can't come soon enough.
01:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]