12 October 2021
12/10/21
Lot 2 Has Been Sold
Mayor announces Dalmeny land SOLD
Dalmeny land sold to Sydney developer
The buyer is a Sydney based development company Heppa Constructions, company director Andrew Scarano
The company was formed in 2019
We believe the price was $4 million
What Happens Now?
We want to assure everyone that we do not consider this an end to our campaign to protect this bush land! The group is still active and we will continue to push for this land to be protected and demand that more suitable solutions be identified to increase housing in the area.
Council process from here is to make a Development Control Plan for the Land Release area, this then has to go to Council (or another approval body) for approval before any development can commence.
In a conversation with MP Kristy McBain recently, she advised us that in Bega Valley Shire, if Council have sold land for development, they will remove themselves from the approvals process and ask another body, such as another local Council to be the approval body, so as to lessen the impression that approval was a ‘done deal’.
It will be really important that our group continues to work with the Council Election Candidates- it will be in their power to approve, alter or deny this development.
You may have seen this recent article where we talk with the Mayne Team, Eurobodalla Greens, Eurobodalla Labour and Advance Eurobodalla.
Clearing and Report
Recently a big strip of land has been cleared near the boundary of Lot 3, metal posts have been put up and lots of Casuarinas and other vegetation removed. Dalmeny Matters facebook group members posted pictures of the clearing when it began in September.
Feeding right next to the piles of cut down casuarina trees was a Glossy Black Cockatoo. Since the 2020 bushfires, we have seen a big increase in Glossy Blacks feeding in the area, and across the State, their habitat has been seriously reduced.
Dalmeny Matters has reported the clearing to Council, who are investigating, we are expecting a response from them very soon and will publish this on our facebook page.
We have also made a report to the Department Of Planning Industry and Environment, they responded very quickly and are also investigating, including discussion with Council and the current land owners.
However the clearing continues, we saw a bobcat on site today and more posts concreted in, it appears as if the owner intends to put a fence across the track. For everyone who loves walking and riding through this bushland, it would be devastating to be denied access for what could be years before any development might commence. We will be contacting Council in this regard.
Considering this very issue- native vegetation being removed before approval of a Development Control Plan- is something that we put to the Council Meeting of August 24 and that Council specifically indicated was ‘very unlikely’ to be permitted, we strongly suspect that this clearing was illegal.
It is very disappointing that our efforts to prevent just such a situation, by suggesting Council instruct land owners not to remove vegetation prematurely, was not enacted. It will be very interesting to see what the penalties will be if this clearing is found to be illegal- one local resident pointed out:
“Residents in the vicinity of Yabbara Beach recently received a letter from Council referring to illegal destruction of a small amount of native vegetation on the dune system there, by tree poisoning. The letter (rightly) referred to this destruction in the public reserve as "vandalism to the community" and reminded residents of a maximum penalty of $110,000 should anyone be successfully prosecuted.”
Letter from Council
On September 14 Council finally responded to some of our submissions- regarding Mummaga Lake and Yellow-bellied Gliders.
The following is an extract- contact us if you would like to read in full. Our response will be published shortly.
“ You have previously been advised of the planning history of the land and the strategic justification for its use to meet housing needs of our community. The issues you have raised do not change Council’s decision and are largely matters for consideration in the preparation of a Development Control Plan (DCP) and Masterplan but more importantly the development application stage of the process.
1. Impact on the health of Mummaga Lake and the Estuary Coastal Management Plan The area is mapped as part of the Mummaga Lake Catchment together with the adjoining residential areas. Council has commenced the process of preparing the Wagonga, Mummaga and Moruya Coastal Estuary Management Plan (the ECMP) and information regarding this process can be found here.
Development in the expansion area does not rely upon investigations under the ECMP for Mummaga to be completed nor for the ECMP to be adopted by Council. Whilst the ECMP will prioritise environmental management and acknowledges conflict between development, the expansion of tourism and achieving more environmentally sustainable solutions, the outcomes of the process will not prevent development from occurring….
2. Threats of runoff
As identified in the map provided by Dalmeny Matters, there is already land immediately adjacent to Mummaga Lake that is developed. The Healthy Rivers Commission Report of 2002 referred to in your correspondence, has been surpassed by many and more recent
studies and policies. Of most relevance is the 2017 Marine Estate Threat and Risk Assessment (TARA) report...
Given that the Tatiara Street development is several hundred meters further back from the lake than much of the existing development on the northern side of Dalmeny, and that any development in this area will need to comply with current storm water and water quality standards, it is reasonable to expect that the long-term impacts of the new development will contribute less disturbance than the current developments have and any potential minor adverse impacts will be contained on site.
4. Will the development include affordable housing?
Council has not proposed that the area be used for affordable housing. What Council is proposing to do is increase the available supply of residential land to the market. Whilst Council cannot control the price of residential land, increased supply, under normal economic conditions, would put downward pressure on price thus increasing affordability….
5. Bush Fire prone land - contributing to increasing cost of housing It is acknowledged that this land like most of the land in Eurobodalla, is designated as bushfire prone. Development will need to be in accordance with the NSW Rural Fire Service’s Planning for Bushfire Protection 2019 guidelines. It is not anticipated that the cost of building in accordance with the Planning for Bushfire guidelines will be substantially different to other bushfire prone areas in our Shire…
6. Yellow Belly Glider
Thank you for advising of sightings of the yellow bellied glider in the Dalmeny LRA.
It should also be noted that the specific locations of feed trees and habitat of endangered fauna will be considered at the development application stage. This stage can only commence after the masterplan and DCP amendment has been finalised by Council and the landowners. …
Council has a Code of Practice called “Conservation of the yellow bellied glider in the Broulee area”. It only applies from the Tomaga River down to the Moruya River, ie., the Broulee area but can be used as a guide for the entire Shire.
Council Elections
Dalmeny Matters talking to the Mayne Team, Euro Greens, Euro Labour and Advance Euro
Council Caretaker period behind November 4, so no Council decisions/ approvals can be made after this time
The Election will (fingers crossed) take place on December 4
We need to make protecting this land an election issue, share information about which candidates support our campaign, encourage residents to enroll to vote- especially non-resident ratepayers who may not be currently enrolled
We will continue talking to Candidates and want to explore what options a new Council might have going forward. If we are successful in voting in a new Council who would rather see this area protected and housing built in a more appropriate site, what will their options be? We will get further advice on this- if anyone has information that might help please contact us.
Have You Seen Our New Website?
https://www.dalmenymatters.org/
Inaturalist
Group member Sally Christiansen has been using the Inaturalist App (which is free) to make observations of threatened species in the Dalmeny Land Release Area.
Currently there are NO official records of Glossy Black Cockatoos in the area!
image by Ann Christiansen
The App is easy to use:
Get the App and go for a lovely bushwalk
Take pictures of the plant, fungi, insect or animal (or evidence of the animal), or record a sound- such as bird or frog calls
You open the App, make the observation, you select the species from a list, and add a note, your phone records the exact location
You can take a picture of crushed casuarina cones which provide evidence of Glossy Black Cockatoos feeding there. Even feathers, recording of sounds, egg shells etc can all be used to make an observation
Within a couple of days another Inaturalist user added an identification to the observation, which changes the observation from ‘casual’ to ‘research grade’ meaning that it can be used in studies and assessments
You can also explore observations made by other users and find out what is living in your area
Inaturalist records contribute to the Atlas of Living Australia, which is an essential tool used by researchers, Government agencies and land managers responsible for natural resource management and environmental impact assessments
Let’s increase the records of birds, animals and plants in the Dalmeny Area to help further our cause that this land deserves protection!
Anyone know their orchids? Rare orchids have saved Shoalhaven bushland from development.
We Would Love Your Help!
Want to be more involved? Please contact us- we would love help with strategy, spreading the word, campaigning during the upcoming council elections, fundraising, making records of threatened species, and a whole lot more…