DEAR News Of The Area,

IN the NOTA on 6/5/22 it advises the Whale Tail land purchase gets the nod from Council for just over $2.5m.

This land is 5099 m2 and is directly across the railway line from the Jetty Precinct land.

In the NOTA on 17/11/23 the General Manager said the City is offering to purchase the Jetty Foreshores Land from the NSW Government for its full valuation.

The Jetty Precinct land is 42,100 m2, over 8.25 times larger than the Whale Tail land.

How can the Jetty Precinct land have been valued at just $2.17m? (NOTA 15/3/24, Letters, Fran Stephenson).

The valuation of the Jetty Precinct land, based on the above sale and size, increased in value since May 2022 should be more than $20m.

In the NOTA on 16/2/24 it was reported Transport for NSW transferred the land to Property and Development NSW for $2.2m on 31 October 2023.

No doubt not the real value but a token one to save on stamp duty?

The City offer to purchase the Jetty Precinct land was $6.7m plus in addition to transfer to NSW Government two city owned blocks valued at $2.15 million suitable to build high-rise-low-cost housing units.

Based on the above the combined offer for the land and city blocks should have been well over double what was offered if the real value was offered.

In the NOTA 2/2/24 the offer being rejected had left Council officials baffled, describing the multi-million-dollar proposal as a “golden goose deal”.

It could be asked was the “low ball” offer in the communities’ best interests to retain this for future open space?

In the September 2023 State Budget, it includes $20m to redevelop the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshores Precinct.

This is to move forward with the previous Government’s plans.

It’s no wonder the City offer was rejected by the NSW Government, they clearly had no intention to accept any offer from the City of Coffs Harbour.

On the front page of the NOTA on 22/3/24 it advises of the a ‘450-Dwelling Plan’ at the Jetty Precinct.

In the Public Notices that same day appears an advert submitted by Artefact about conducting an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment on the site.

The first line of the advert advises, Property and Development NSW (PDNSW) is continuing to progress a community led revitalisation of the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshores Precinct on behalf of the NSW Government.

The Public Notice also advised in December 2022 following extensive community consultation, PDNSW released a refined masterplan which incorporated community feedback and had an even greater focus on public open space, support for local businesses and tourism opportunities, to create a thriving local economy.

PDNSW is finalising technical studies to support the precinct masterplan and is now targeting lodgement of a rezoning proposal with Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure (DPHI) by the end of March 2024.

The NSW Government are not only 100 percent moving forward but appear to be writing the adverts for anyone who will be conducting studies on the area.

As we know it was the NSW Government who is pushing, not the community who do not want residential development east of the railway line.

On 2 April 2024 Nine News reported the rezoning plans had been lodged that day.

The Government officials and local MP were there for their exposure and photo opportunities.

The Government officials advised the community would be able to have a say.

As we know from past experiences, despite the majority saying NO to residential housing, their voices will be ignored yet again.

If the State Government wishes to sell off to developers and develop the Precinct, they should be the ones building a new access road via Howard Street, across the railway line to join Jordan Esplanade.

This road is required now and especially over December and January when the Great Southern train closes the railway crossing for nearly half an hour, four times a week, with one being 9.30 am on busy Sunday mornings.

The other question is where all the extra vehicles will park, as you cannot get a park on Sunday market days now.

Thanks,
Wayne WELSH,
Coffs Harbour Jetty.