DEAR News Of The Area,

SO Ray Smith, President of the Chamber of Commerce, in a letter to the Mayor of Coffs Harbour, claims that compulsory acquisition of Jetty Foreshore land at the Jetty Hub is entirely against the wishes of the community.

In the survey of the community’s attitude to development in the area, Question 19 gave three options.

1. No changes to current state of development – leave the existing fences and no public domain, activation or connection improvements.

2. Jetty Hub Base Option – as proposed in the draft Masterplan – with up to six storey low scale development spread over the Jetty Hub but limited to west side of Jordan Esplanade.

3. Jetty Hub Alternative Option – increasing development in the north part of the Jetty Hub to eight storeys, moderate development and opening up additional land for public and recreation uses.

Of the claimed 3680 survey responses (which is only approximately five percent of the community), 936 people did not select an option at all while a further 878 said they would prefer the fences be left where they are and nothing happen, rather than have up to six or eight storey buildings inflicted on our beloved foreshores.

So 49.29 percent of respondents to the survey definitely didn’t embrace what Ray Smith is claiming.

And we certainly were never given an option of open public space on the railway land.

If we were, goodness knows what this percentage may have been.

So Ray, how is it that considering these figures, you still claim to speak for the entire community?

When 15000 people signed a petition opposed to the construction of Yarrila Place, your organisation ignored that hugely more significant number of people and wholeheartedly supported the Civic and Cultural Centre.

In fact without the support of the Chamber of Commerce, I doubt that Yarrila Place would ever have been built.

Riddle me this.

Regards,
Helen WEIR,
Coffs Harbour.