PUBLIC MEETING SAYS NO SUBDIVISION AT CURRAWONG AND DEMANDS NSW GOVERNMENT PURCHASE THE SITE
Friends of Currawong public meeting last night demanded that the NSW Government reject the current Eco Villages development proposal for the subdivision and rezoning of Currawong, and that the NSW Government accept the Heritage Council's recommendation that the entire Currawong site be listed on the State Heritage Registers, said Friends of Currawong President Shane Withington.
Mr Withington said the public meeting also demanded that the NSW Government buy the Pittwater's Currawong site (placing its original offer back on the table), and retain it in public ownership in perpetuity to conserve Currawong's cultural and natural heritage, and the integrity of Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park.
"Currawong meets an exceptionally high five out of seven of the criteria required for the Heritage Council's listing. A site is required to meet only one criterion to be successfully listed. The Friends of Currawong have been working for 10 years to get this important site heritage listed, and we've ticked all the boxes, so it's most unusual for the Minister for Planning not to accept such a recommendation."
Mr Withington said people needed to be reminded that the proposed development is for a subdivision where blocks of land are to be sold off to people who will want to maximize their views and increase the size and height of their buildings to achieve this.
"People are coming here with big cheque books. The subdivision is at least 10 times the current footprint, and includes buildings that will be 7 to 12 metres in height and only three metres apart. They will be large, visible and an eye-sore with the heritage home Midholme dwarfed."
Mr Withington said there has also been no provision for car parking and boats. He said should the subdivision succeed, there will be the inevitable development of private wharfs at Currawong and a problematic car parking overflow to the already full to capacity Palm Beach and Church Point car parks.
"If this subdivision goes ahead, we will have to worry about every single bit of NSW coastline. This is the last chance to bring this beautiful site to public ownership rather than alienate it forever into many private blocks. The NSW Government must return Currawong to public ownership as part of the adjacent Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park," Mr Withington said.
For more information contact Friends of Currawong President Shane Withington on 0417 424 668.
