DEAR News Of The Area,

I RECEIVED a message from a concerned friend asking if I had heard a radio interview with the Executive Director of Property NSW on Tuesday.

No I hadn’t so yes I did.

The Executive Director’s assurance the rezoning of land adjacent to Jordon Esplanade at the Foreshore for multi level residential development was the best use of this land with the greatest economic benefit to the government and the community did not ring true.

“We know what is best for you” left many questions to be answered.

I searched my memory for reasons why and this is where it went.

If previous land deals between Coffs Harbour and the NSW State Government both private and public are anything to go by it would seem the opposite is the case.

These deals are evident in many vacant and abandoned sites across the city.

For all those people who say the Coffs is looking tired and unloved because the lawn is not mown immediately after a rain event it is worth considering the part these vacant and abandoned sites play into perceptions of the city.

For brevity I list them here beginning east and moving west listing only sites which have involved either approval sale or purchase by the NSW State government.

The Jetty Hub

A brand new build adjacent to the entrance of the Jetty constructed by NSW Government in the closing days of the pandemic and the Jetty Foreshore Project Steering Committee.

It must be noted it was never included in that consultation process.

Two years on and no lessee has taken any interest in this great building.

It would definitely make a fabulous cultural and maritime museum.

Anyone? City of Coffs Harbour?

NSW Dept of Fair Trade and other government offices

Located on the Jetty Strip adjacent to the Jetty Village Shopping Centre on Harbour Drive this site was sold to the Jetty Village owners for inclusion in their eventual redevelopment.

A guess at how long it is since this occurred is ten years.

The old Forestry site

Also on Harbour Drive at the Jetty Strip enclosed by a cyclone wire fence and vacant for as long as the previous site mentioned.

This building was a classic example of mid-century architecture constructed from locally sourced hardwoods which could have been used as a facade for any development paying homage to the history and the future of Coffs Harbour.

The old hospital site bordered by Harbour Dr and Victoria St

It goes without saying we have benefited from the sale of the site with the building of the Coffs Harbour Base Hospital.

However 20 years of very slow development on this site tells a story of its own.

This site is less than 50 percent developed after two decades.

The Glenreagh St TAFE Campus

Slowly going through a transition since the Coffs Harbour Education Campus was established 25 years ago. Seeing this completed and the land well utilised is something I look forward to.

Yarilla Place

Although not a NSW Government initiative was approved by the NSW government against the wishes of 15,000 signatories and 785 submissions.

This development has left the community with an additional 5,000 sqm of vacant office space in the CBD and a community carrying the burden of its cost which has seen the sidelining of so many other community projects.

On Gordon St

Property NSW has three holdings generally known.

These include the Service NSW offices which is a single story building in a precinct zoned for high rise with a substantial land size.

It is ripe for redevelopment for expansion of government offices.

The corner of Albany St and Gordon St is a carpark which was purchased by the NSW Government just in the last couple of years which is yet to be developed for a new central hub of government departments and services. With a purchase price of almost $4 million this site was valued at a price 2//3 of the land at the Foreshore now in question which the government sold to itself for $6 million.

Moonee Street there is the old police station and courthouse.

This building has been lying wasting since the construction of the new police station and courthouse.

These two buildings have of course been a great addition to the Coffs Harbour community.

The additional unleasable site in Gordon St not so much.

Finally It is worth noting the NSW Government’s contribution to the new technology/industrial park attached to the airport.

This development received a considerable amount of NSW State Government funding and three years since it was completed has attracted no interest.

When you add to the above all the for lease signs throughout the city for both retail and commercial spaces it is no wonder the town looks tired.

Coffs Harbour needs to grow into itself.

There is both an economic and a social imperative for this to happen.

Planning at both a local and a state level needs serious overhauling with projections for growth considering current global economic conditions not at all promising.

Add to this an ageing population, shrinking migration and smaller families there is a lot to be considered.

The Jetty Foreshore will serve this community well into the future as a tourism and recreational hub with enhanced parkland and community amenities.

We need to attend to the cleaning up of our backyard well before the NSW Government rezones and sells this valuable community asset to the highest bidder.

A bidder who may not see any value in developing the site for another two three or four decades.

It is the surrounding neighbourhood east of the rail line which is in dire need of development.

Bring it on.
Ann LEONARD,
Sawtell.