<< Peninsula News 27 August 2002 - Dezonings not the answer >>

Dezonings not the answer

Reference is made to Margaret Lund's letter to the editor (Peninsula News, August 13) regarding the recent decision by the Minister of Planning, Dr Refshauge, to decline the Council's dezoning proposals and retain the current land zonings on the Peninsula.

Mrs Lund made the comment that developers and the Chamber of Commerce would be overjoyed.

Overjoyed is an unfair comment to make.

Our organisation was pleased that the Minister has taken a more rational, long-term approach to planning issues rather than a clumsy quick-fix approach.

The Chamber of Commerce certainly supported the Minister's decision as the notion that medium density land should be dezoned was both naïve and simplistic.

Dezonings do not solve the issue of proper land management and the provision of much needed housing choices.

Nor does it address the issue of town revitalisation and the improvement in design quality of residential and commercial building stock.

It has always been the Chamber's position that nothing short of an integrated planning strategy for the Peninsula is needed.

This view has been repeatedly supported by Planning NSW to the point where such a review of planning guidelines will now be undertaken over the next 12 to 18 months.

The business community shares Mrs Lund's concerns regarding our local environment as we have a vested interest in doing so.

We all live and work in the local area and have chosen to do so because of the quality of life that the Peninsula offers.

It is for this reason that the Chamber has been pro-active in determining the future of our area through contributions to the Gosford Council City Management Plan and initiated the Peninsula Economic Strategy (Peninsula Vision).

Only through a co-operative approach can we resolve the issues that affect our daily lives.

Greg Sandell, Vice-President

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce