Treelines

Tweed Council has adopted the Coastal Design Guidelines to assist in Planning Design. Together with NSW Coastal Policy and The Far North Coast Regional Strategy, it mandates to protect existing character – environmental dominance and the unique qualities of Hastings Point.

Our trees create this character, this dominance. They break building form from the sky. This is best seen along Sth Coast Road from our northern vantage points – the road, footpath, the bridge, the boatshed, beach (boatramp/BBQ area) and the estuary.

Building 3 storey buildings will destroy this. This is contrary to:

1. the Law – as above.

2. Tweed Council evidence presented in the Land & Environment Court – 21 Coast Road case.

3. Commissioner Moore’s finding in this case - 3 storey contrary to Coastal Design Guidelines.

4. The majority community wishes broadcast loud and clear.

5. Ruker & Tweed planners’ position to protect the treeline Northside. Inadvertently missed perspectives from the North to the South at workshop.

6. NSW Dpt of Planning recommendations.

7. The evidence now witnessed by Tweed Planners – a 10 m pink flag above and below (attached to rear of house at 41 Coast Road well inside property). It clearly depicts how such building height will destroy the treeline which sits

above and behind the Central Precinct.
at rear of building form along Sth Coast Road.

It does not take much to imagine how the character, the green space to the sky, the environmental dominance will be irretrievably lost (not just altered) if we allow buildings to enter this important green zone.

The Community demands that Ruker & Assoc and Tweed Planners respect the law, the evidence and the wishes of the community.

This issue will not go away until the right thing is done.

This does not mean designing a contrary height through a specific urban design study which then destroys that which the law aims to protect.

Page 73 of the Coastal Design Guidelines – Building height should be maintained below the tree canopy thereby retaining and ensuring a consistent visual setting across the settlement

Tweed Planners visited and viewed the pink flag from all varied locations. They recognised that 3 storey, 10 m buildings clearly eliminate existing treeline & greenspace to sky, pierce the tree canopy and destroy existing character.

This is Hastings Point centre – one little corner shop and residences opposite central park and estuary on east and west. There is no commercial centre to justify 3 storeys. Pottsville has no 3 storey in non- commercial zone – same should apply to HP.

As Ms Ruker says – we need to protect our natural vistas from our different vantage points shown above and below. Policy and law demands this.

Again – an uninterrupted tree canopy down south coast road. No house sits above the treeline. To change this with 10m buildings (pink flag) – irrevocably alters the existing visual setting which provides the environmental dominance of HP.

DO THE RIGHT THING – ITS LONG OVERDUE!!!

Respect Our Treelines!

The character of Hastings Point is marked by its environmental dominance. One feature is its amazing treelines North and South scattered between, behind and above detached building form. This MUST be maintained as mandated by the Coastal Design Guidelines of NSW and all relevant LAW. The community calls on Tweed Council and its consultant, Ruker & Associates, to respect these attributes.

There is No Point (excuse the ACCURATE pun) in saving half of Hastings Point and neglecting the other half. The law must be consistently applied in Court, out of Court, in the North and the South. Just check out the following pics to see what will happen if we allow 3 storeys south.

Demolition is the only answer - Beware Purchasers! WE ARE IN THE HIGH COURT

Treeline Clear

Using the language in draft plans of Ms Ruker & Council:

Key characteristics of view - layering of water, foreshore vegetation and treeline that meets the sky. No buildings meet the sky. The buildings visible are within the vegetation on the left side (central area). No man made elements within the view on the right. This creates predominance of nature maintained by 2 storey development on south Coast Rd. It must be retained.

IF NOT, check out the view 100′s will see each day crossing the bridge

Treeline DESTROYED!

Destroying a prominent treeline clearly displaces the character/environmental dominance of Hastings Point valued by residents and visitors in the thousands. Contrary to Coastal Design Guidelines, Far North Coast Regional Strategy, Coastal Policy and Tweed LEP. Time to apply Law.

Treeline Clear

Another perspective from the bridge. Imagine the treeline gone with buildings abutting the sky. Well don’t imagine, just keep scrolling!!!

Treeline DESTROYED!

This is a realistic size and scale of 3 storey development in central Hastings Point. This building form is highly visible from the central park, public caravan park, bridge, road, estuary and north side. If displacing the treeline is not condoned on North how could it be condoned on the South?

Treeline Clear

Layering of water, sand, vegetation, some built form, vegetation and the sky. This should be retained. To do otherwise would create – wait for it…..

Treeline DESTROYED!

Disaster……….

Treeline Clear

Council and Ms Ruker have already recognised in reports and Court that our views from the estuary are important. Why? Because thousands use the estuary each year for education and recreation. Let’s maintain the foreshore vegetation low and high so that the environment experienced by the public is retained.

Treeline DESTROYED!

These skeleton 3 storey developments exhibit an unacceptable future. Council argued against this in Court in this precinct. We agree!

Treeline Clear

The sole 2 storey house (given absence of trees at rear) measures what works and what doesn’t. Behind the trees to the right are 2 storey homes. They sit immediately beneath the treeline. They retain the natural aspect from North (bridge) & estuary. What happens if we allow 3 storey? – Shebang ……

Treeline DESTROYED!

SO WRONG! Total environmental feel gone. While the bottom layer of some of these houses could be hidden by vegetation, the 3 storey elements will protrude above the treeline for all to see! From North and the Estuary.

Treeline Clear

The Successful litigation block. This view of the foreshore, water and hills behind must be retained by protecting this view corridor. It is not achieved by 3 storey developments……

Treeline DESTROYED!

2 storey protects hill view which maintains predominance of nature. 3 storey does not. L&E Court and Council agreed that large undetatched 3 storey buildings not appropriate and 3 storey contrary to Coastal Design Guidelines for this area. Community Agrees.

Treeline Clear

This is how it was – there were hills, there were trees, there was natural dominance. BUT poor planning and misconduct left us with this!!!

Treeline DESTROYED!

Yes, there were treelines, beautiful hills and a Bus Shelter but alas the Point….

Treeline DESTROYED

“the Point – the temporary Gold Coast monolithic entrance to Hastings Point”

How did this happen?

And Now just a frigg’n Bus Shelter – how did things go so wrong? Some know!! Who builds while in Court? Should this be rewarded? No! A master plan consistent with the rest of HP and all applicable law/policy is the only professional and ethical option for this site - No 3 storey, no residential flat buildings, no underground carparks and No Point.

Save our treeline

Mr Pine Needle Tree at 65 Tweed Coast Rd sits for all to see that the vast treeline that makes the Southern Vista is Coast Road and not the western side of Cudgera Creek. It provides the predominance of nature which requires the utmost Protection!!!!