The Battle of Hastings Point

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Developers: We’re Watching You!

Hastings Point is the smallest coastal settlement of NSW Tweed Shire; the “Jewel of the Tweed”, surrounded by national park, the hamlet is nestled between the ocean on its east and a beautiful but delicate estuary on its west.

It is the entrance for the now nationally recognised “Green Cauldron” and is identified without doubt as one of the unique seaside locations in Australia. With an unspoiled expanse of magnificent beach, visitors come here to appreciate nature at her finest. (Where is Hastings Point?)

Hastings Point: A Paradise Worth Protecting

This idyllic place has survived as a result of low impact development and a 20 year battle to preserve it. Over the last 5 years, the community resorted to litigation and intense negotiation with Tweed Shire Council to ensure the law was applied. Thanks to good elements in Council, a new locality plan was implemented in February 2011 to generally preserve this location.

However, there is still one large parcel of land (Lot 156) with insufficient protective controls where potential development threatens the livelihood of the community and environment as a result of inappropriate zoning following unlawful dredging, filling and tree felling of the property under the negligent watch of Tweed Shire Council and the State Government.

Until it is rezoned, development potential looms as a continuing threat to hundreds in the community now living subject of a 1 m flood hazard which will worsen if development is approved on this land.

Protective measures, including rezoning, were limited on this land because it was subject of a development application before the State Government under the infamous Part 3A of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act (now scrapped).

Tweed Shire Council admits that any significant development on this block is hugely problematic.

The development proposed should be scrapped as recommended by Community and Council experts, the land remediated and rezoned to protect the community and environment.