A REVIEW of environmental zoning on the NSW North Coast has encouraged a group of Eurobodalla councillors to call for the immediate scrapping of E3 zones state-wide.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Eurobodalla Ratepayer Action Party (ERA) councillors have called on NSW Planning Minister Pru Goward to remove the zoning from the state’s Standard Instrument Local Environment Plan (SILEP).
The implementation of four tiers of environmental zoning on the North Coast was the subject of a review by consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff.
ERA councillor Liz Innes said the review showed the system’s flaws.
“This controversial zone, introduced by the Labor government in 2006, duplicates a range of other legislative requirements, providing no increased level of environmental protection on private land,” Cr Innes said.
“The Minister is soon to consider a revision of the SILEP following a study of the use of environmental zones by northern NSW councils in the development of their rural LEPs.
“This is a major opportunity for the Baird government to show leadership and act on the overwhelming weight of the submissions from the rural communities of NSW.
“This comprehensive study, undertaken by consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff, demonstrates clearly the practical difficulties for councils in applying the four environmental (E1,E2, E3 and E4) zones which are inadequately specified in the SILEP.”
Cr Innes said ERA councillors wanted E3 scrapped.
“The study documents the same issues feared by many local farmers as the consequences of the application of the E3 zone to private agricultural land in Eurobodalla shire,” she said.
“It is apparent that past proposals in Eurobodalla made much greater use of E3 zoning than were made by those councils included in the study.
“We are delighted that the study’s findings vindicate the concerted action taken by the Eurobodalla farming community to stop the over regulation of the use of private land.
“Eurobodalla land owners have made their opposition to the use of E3, based on inaccurate mapping, very clear to the council’s rural lands strategy committee.
“E3 zoning is unnecessary and it simply reduces the value of their properties and rural businesses. Land owners need now to repeat their past objections to the government.”