GREENS MLC Cate Faehrmann, the party’s planning spokesperson, has recently been touring the Mid North Coast on a fact-finding mission, meeting with communities who believe they are under threat from inappropriate building developments.

Last week Ms Faehrmann travelled from Yamba to Bonny Hills meeting with community members crying for help to stop developments that threaten to swallow their small coastal villages, and wipe out extremely important wildlife habitat.

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“Up and down the NSW coast, I’m seeing developments that will be economic, social and environmental disasters if they’re allowed to go ahead,” said Ms Faehrmann.

Many residents believe their concerns are not listened to by local councils, and feel powerless to affect the planning development process.

Cate Faehrmann said, “Stay tuned for our new campaign to ensure local communities can have control over the planning decisions that affect them and their local environment.”

Mid North Coast coastal village communities like Valla Beach, Scotts Head and South West Rocks are fighting an influx of development in sensitive coastal bushland.

“South West Rocks is to grow by a further 1900 people, 50 percent of the Kempsey Shire’s new development allocation,” said Councillor Arthur Bain, Kempsey Shire Council.

Ms Faehrmann said, “NSW coastal villages and the bushland environments which make them so special are facing death by a thousand cuts.

“Thousands of hectares of threatened species, and habitat clearing fuelling the extinction crisis and changing the face of our coastline forever,” she said.

News Of The Area caught up with Ms Faehrmann in South West Rocks, after she had met with Tom Roberts, a local resident of Scotts Head active in the campaign against the Ingenia over 55’s development proposed for the town.

The Ingenia development has the capacity of installing 250 dwellings, equating to approximately 300 residents over 60 years old.

There has been vocal community opposition to this proposal, which locals believe could change the character of Scotts Head forever.

Current Scotts Head residents are already struggling to access doctors and other medical services, parking and emergency infrastructure, something they fear will be exacerbated with an increase of population.

“The planning system is failing our coastal towns, allowing them to be swallowed up by developers who only care about turning a quick profit with no regard for the long-term impacts on the community or the environment,” Ms Faehrmann said.

Many of these developments are in areas with bushfire and flood risks.

Recent flooding has caused road closures and sewage spillage associated with the current population numbers.

“Residents should be empowered to decide the future of their community.

“Decisions about developments that will have a significant impact on the community cannot be left to an undemocratic planning panel on which residents have no say,” said Ms Faehrmann.

“It’s us to save our coastal towns and villages from developer greed,” she said.

“Make no mistake, the NSW Liberal-National Government is making decisions in the interests of their wealthy developer mates while throwing communities and our treasured coastal villages under a bus.

“It’s obscene and it’s got to stop.”

By Karen GRIBBIN