DEAR News Of The Area,

ONE of the constants of the Jetty Foreshores project has been the reluctance of the NSW Government to provide meaningful, specific information on the scope and details of their proposal.

However, governments cannot hide forever and a recent disclosure from Property and Development NSW (PDNSW) in response to a freedom of information request dropped a bombshell on all previous assumptions.

In their response, PDNSW disclosed that “…financial forecasts show the costs of delivering public open space, civil infrastructure, community spaces and additional parking would not be met by the proceeds of the proposed development.”

It also notes that the Treasurer’s feedback to the responsible Minister, Steve Kamper was that “the proposal must be supported by a cost neutral option.”

In other words, the Minister either needs to trim the cost of community facilities or increase the sale price of the land to a developer.

That won’t happen by magic.

It means that either our community must accept fewer facilities than we were promised or we must accept a proposition that makes the site more attractive to a developer.

That means an increase in either the amount of land on which there will be residential buildings or an increase in building height, above the current six storey proposal.

The disclosure also notes that the issue of the Government’s promise to deliver 30 percent social and affordable housing from new developments has yet to be addressed.

Of course, addressing that requirement will put further pressure on the sale price to a developer, as it could impact their profitability.

They clearly have a large financial hole in their plans.

So, that’s where we sit.

Either we accept more buildings, taller buildings, or reduced community facilities.

Or we could continue to remind the State Government that almost 70 percent of the Coffs Coast community doesn’t want their development.

Our judgement was sound.

The NSW Government should listen.

The first step to getting out of a hole is to stop digging.

Regards,
Tony JUDGE,
Woolgoolga.