The Campaign
…the “The Battle of Hastings” is community and environment saying NO MORE!
- No more failing to consult community,
- no more misrepresentations,
- no more inappropriate development and
- no more destruction of the environment!
The 20 year battle to save HP’s character & environment involves 2 areas – Coast Road (Sth end) & Creek Street (Lot 156). Both areas adjoin HP’s beautiful but delicate estuary and its tributaries.
Coast Road
Coast Road sits on approximately 200 metres of sand between the beach on the east and the estuary on the west. It is effectively a thin sandy peninsula. The developments which are in dispute have either already been approved by Council or are now in Court. They are all 3 storey, high density, concrete slabs more suited to the Gold Coast than a small sensitive coastal hamlet. They will create a development strip that will leave Hastings Point in ruin.
The developments are completely contrary to:
- Local and NSW policies and laws
- NSW Dept of Planning recommendations
- Tweed Shire Council’s recommendations of only 3 years ago
YET they were approved at an alarming rate in very questionable circumstances. Please visit The Truth page which discloses Council’s misconduct alongside the truth.
The most contentious of these developments already approved is a Senior’s Village, “The Point“ (now marketed as a Luxury Resort for over 55’s). It near doubles the population of HP on its own, with 7 large 3 storey buildings comprising 246 units. Its approval breached relevant law, policy and guidelines. Planners are now saying “woops.”
Creek Street
Creek Street (Lot 156) is a flood plain bounded by Creek Street on its north, estuary on its south and Cudgen Nature Reserve on its west. The site is characterised by low-lying land with sandy soils. A major part is zoned 7a environmentally protected Wetlands and Littoral Rainforest. It and a large part of the residential zoned land are inundated by high tide creating estuarine vegetation (mangroves/salt marsh), tidal channels and sandy flats at low tide. The site is home to protected bird species and the mangroves/saltmarsh provide roosting and feeding habitat for these and other shorebird species. These species are quickly stressed by human or domestic animal disturbance. The site is part of a regional wildlife corridor. The site is classed high flood hazard with permanently high watertables with potential acid sulfate material.
Developers have illegally dredged, filled and cleared this environmentally sensitive land to fraudulently adjust boundaries and steal 7.5 acres of crown estuary from which a proposed development of 57 houses and a large resort (Part 3A Friend) is before the state government.
Tweed Council and the Department of Lands/Water allowed this destruction and rezoning to take place and took no steps to remediate the land. It now floods the surrounding community of approximately 350 people. And despite its unlawful origins and significant threat to the community – no action by authorities! They have a duty to rezone this land pursuant to mandates under Coastal Policy.
The developers should be held responsible for the damage they wreak NOT rewarded.