The State government proposal to rezone land nominated by developers removes local
communities from crucial decisions about their communities while delivering multi‐million
windfalls for developers, according to the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
“The NSW government’s plan abandons the principle of a strategic forward planning, handing over
control for Sydney’s growth to the vested interests of developers,” Chief Executive Officer Pepe
Clarke said.
“The rezoning of land by developer nomination will deliver multi‐million dollar profits for private
developers, at the cost of community consultation, local decision making and the environment.
“The Coalition’s election planning policy expressed a commitment to returning local planning
decisions to local communities: “After all, it is local residents – not Macquarie Street planners –
who have to live with the results of these planning decisions” [1].
“Now less than a year in government, the O’Farrell government is happy to cut councils and local
communities out of decision making on the future of their suburbs.
“An Independent Commission Against Corruption report into corruption risks under Part 3A of the
planning process[2] warned that wide discretion to allow development contrary to local plans or
state strategy “creates a corruption risk and a community perception of a lack of appropriate
boundaries”.
“Sydney can ill afford another decade of unplanned expansion that the State government’s
loosening of land rezoning controls will unleash, especially in the sensitive interface of its urban
fringe.
“Greater development at the city fringe could destroy areas of natural bushland, increase traffic
and is in no way a sustainable solution for dealing with Sydney’s expected growth,” Mr Clarke said.
[1] www.nswnationals.org.au/images/stories/pdf/1%20rewrite%20the%20states%20planning%20laws.pdf
[2] www.icac.nsw.gov.au/media‐centre/media‐releases/article/3802
