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2004 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

No further action on Woy Woy Rd land

 

Gosford Council has resolved to take no further action to purchase, rezone or sub-divide land at the bottom of Bulls Hill, on Woy Woy Rd, Woy Woy.

It had previously deferred the matter to allow a further report to be prepared by the council's director of environmental planning, Ms Louise Gee, on the acquisition and change of land use for the property.

Councillors inspected the property on December 14 and the issues of acquisition, strategic planning and ongoing land management and maintenance were discussed.

The property adjoins Woy Woy Creek near the end of Correa Bay at Woy Woy.

Council officers stated that the proposal would result in the linear extension of residential development along Woy Woy Rd, which would be inconsistent with the "residential strategy" that only supports rezoning for residential purposes where the resultant development constitutes infill development.

The officers added that further additional residential development had the potential to impact on the environmental qualities of the remainder of the site.

It was also stated that the existing 7(a) zone was restrictive in the uses permitted and there was limited potential for any intensification of development on site.

The property was considered to be "fairly degraded" and would require active bush regeneration for a period of at least five years to improve its value as fauna habitat if it was to be included as part of council's natural reserve system.

Council would need to allocate funding for regeneration and restoration of the land and works would cost approximately $30,000 per year for a minimum of five years.

Council officers stated in a report to council: "These areas are unlikely to be further developed given the site's existing environmental zoning and legislation such as the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 that identifies the saltmarsh community, located in the area, as an endangered ecological community."

Council agenda EP.6, February 1