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Changes proposed to allow clearing

Conditions of consent for a proposed retirement village at Hillview St, Woy Woy, may be changed to allow clearing of the site before the issue of a construction certificate.

Gosford Council officers have recommended that council allow condition one to be reworded.

Condition one would read that "no works other than investigative earthworks, clearing of vegetation within the proposed building envelope and activities associated with weed removal, native plant and seed harvesting shall be commenced until a construction certificate has been issued".

The previous condition stated that no works shall be commenced until a construction certificate has been issued.

Council officers stated that the Section 96 application, made on July 16, would reword condition one so that preliminary works could commence prior to the issue of a construction certificate.

Providence Projects' managing director Mr John Zavolokin said that the application had been made for several reasons.

"It will allow seed collection to commence and propagation of plants for use in the regeneration of the remainder of the site," Mr Zavolokin said.

"The best seed stock is in the upper limbs of the trees to be felled for the development.

"It will provide an area to temporarily stockpile noxious weeds, such as lantana, which needs to be removed prior to regeneration of the area to be preserved.

"Providing this temporary stockpile area will allow measures to be implemented that will reduce the risk of reinfestation in the conservation zone.

"It will allow the biomass to be relocated during the cooler winter months while plants are dormant which will increase the potential regermination rate at the new site.

"It will allow geotechnical and other works, required to be done prior to issue a construction certificate, to proceed without damaging potentially viable material that otherwise may be suitable for relocation.

"Clearing in the winter months is preferable as it will have a lesser impact to the surrounding vegetation within the conservation area in terms of changes to sunlight access etc.

"Clearing will also allow for a one metre buffer of mulch to be prepared around the building footprint perimeter which will enhance the protection of the conservation area."

Council officers stated that they agreed that some "environmental advantage" was available to allow clearing of the site prior to the issue of a building construction certificate.

However, the Central Coast branch of the Australian Conservation Foundation has claimed that the proposal would mean that clearing would take place without environmental safeguards in place.

Branch president Mr Mark Snell said the construction certificate issue was important because it required payment of a security deposit which covered unintended damage.

It also required a range of other environmental safeguards, said Mr Snell.

"The proposal to allow clearing before the issue of a construction certificate is not a minor matter.

"It should be advertised and be referred to the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

"Given the strong community concern about the environmental impact of this proposal, and the apparent concealment by council of the developer's reneging on 'ameliorative measures', it is important that these and any further proposals for change are on the public record and available for scrutiny."

Mr Snell also condemned vandalism to fencing at the development site.

He said that there was no evidence that this was done by environmentalists, as claimed by the developer.

"Fences constructed in nearby areas by bush care volunteers have also been vandalised recently," Mr Snell said.

Council agenda ENV.49, 24 Jul 2007