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Proposal cuts direct access to beach

I write in with support for the forward thinking of A Cochrane (Peninsula News, November 19).

I also attended that "Whisper Meeting" where most, including Marie Andrews were having difficulty hearing what was said by Gosford Council spokespersons.

I have written advice from Gosford Council that they have no plans for the extension of The Esplanade to the end of Ocean Beach - something that should trouble all of us who experience grid lock on the main street of Ettalong and in West St, Umina.

Our community is poorly served by roads particularly in the east-west direction.

I have difficulty relating the pursuit of the tourist dollar while at the same time proposing cutting off the access from Maitland Bay Dr directly to the Ettalong waterfront.

For the semi-scenic drive along our beachfront and past our ferry dream, our community needs to have progress but dollar-driven progress with hidden agendas is not serving those ratepayers who have paid, some in excess of 50 years, for an amenity they will never see.

What we see happening is a funnelling of State taxes and community access that will concentrate business activity around an exclusive area that will house a casino-type environment with an exclusivity similar to "Double Pay" in Sydney.

I have seen this Peninsula environment grow from a holiday resort full of retired couples.

People who in turn left places to their children who in their turn sometimes choose to live here fulltime and commute to the big smoke.

Like it or not, this place is now a dormitory suburb of Sydney, but it is one like the parts of Sydney that jealously guard their amenity.

Ratepayers here have a democratic right to do the same for their environment also.

Those things you see happening around you happen because you let them.

If you don't like it, stand up, be counted and make your elected representatives accountable too.

I applaud you, A Cochrane of Umina.

Ed James, Umina