Red Head Villages Association meet with Department of Planning

Today's meeting of the Department of Planning, The Red Head Villages Association, Councillors and Council staff I believe was a first and in my opinion was an integral part of breaking down communication barriers that exist.

Regional director Brett Whitworth travelled to the seaside village of Manyana to address the concerns raised by the association in regards to Caravan park/ Manufactured home parks development and the departments approach to the sensitive urban lands review in the upcoming Local Environment Plan changes.

The local environment plan review has been underway for at least 3 years and is premised on an administrative change over that sees current zones swapped over to new zones that are as similar as is possible within the context of reducing zone types from +50 down to +20.

Shoalhavens reputation as a developer friendly spot rezoning city has many people suspicious of the zoning changes. The community consultative groups from across the city have gathered together and created a Local Environment Review Group to try and start making sense of the draft before it gets on exhibition-problem is that the draft comes without the relevant maps which will not be available until the exhibition period starts proper.

So as a community we are nervous about the expansion of manufactured home estates throughout the region as it is the last thing we need to compound some of the problems we face with aging and missing infrastructure and the lack of sustainability that this type of so called 'affordable housing' supports.

The Department of Plannings representative did not give us the unequivocal answers that we wanted but there was a great sign of relief to know that the relevant state environment planning policy's (21 and 36) relating to caravan parks and manufactured homes have been tagged for priority review. Brett Whitworth indicated that he favoured a site compatibility certificate which would help weed out the really speculative proposals.

The Red Head Villages Association executive are a well prepared group of people, who have spent an extraordinary amount of time getting to know and understand the local environment planned changes. I think they understand it more than some of the Councillors do. They have weighed up the implications and asked the serious questions-it is a rare day that the bureaucracy's meets with the people to at least understand their perspective. For me it was a pleasure and honour to facilitate the meeting and represent the people of my ward in a forum that is surely a first.

Cancun Climate Talks- an Epic fail?

Monday mornings are often contemplative for me as I enjoy the remnants of the weekend mixed in with the diary review of the week ahead.

My thoughts this morning turned to the Cancun climate talks, which in my opinion have been missing in action in the media that I generally enjoy (mostly radio and online) or else I have been like world leaders and put my head in the sand when it comes to the issue of Climate Change.

I dont think my head is in the sand at all- I feel as though I have moved through the stages of mourning for a world in climate chaos- from anger and disbelief onto acceptance and hope, but it is the moments of lack of action that send you packing back down the scale to depression-almost to despair.

Last year when the Copenhagen talks happened just before Christmas, I felt as did many an air of expectance, that surely there had been a level of maturity reached in the conversation that no one could possibly deny firm action and yet the world came away from the talks no firmer in its will to do something!

No wonder then this years talks are a little of the radar, like a child avoiding punishment who could lay blame for not wanting to turn up to once again 'COP a flogging'.

The outcome recieved without fanfare includes a

Green Climate Fund to support money transfer from first world to majority world to adapt to climate change.

A technology executive to get green technology transfer to those who need it.

A commitment to cease clear fell deforestation- It is this one that I find so woeful on a local level.

With deforestation (aka Forestry) contributing up to 120Mt CO2 per annum in Australia we are well placed to make an easy and popular decision to start tackling emission by ceasing to harvest native forest and make sure that plantation timber is a carbon neutral industry- creating green jobs in the process.

Yet the very agreement from Cancun that Australia signed up to exclude our home grown industry- seems that Colonial attitudes still abound that our forests are not as valuable as rainforest in tropical locations. Our forests provide essential natural services and are excellent carbon sinks.

So rather than vent my entire spleen here my course of action for the week goes something like this.
Contemplate and try hard not to dwell. Continue to talk about climate change it is the biggest issue of our time and no one should think they have the excuse to say 'but I didnt know'. Work on resiliance for my family-grow more food- install more solar. Remain focused on getting a community wind project realised.

Climate Camp 2010-

On the fence

or on the track . All united to stop run away climate change

Climate Camp 2010 an absolute success.

I had the great pleasure to attend Sundays direct action @ Lake Liddell - a man made lake that feeds water to the Bayswater coal powered generator.

For me- not only participating in my own small way was empowering-but spending the time quietly listening to the stories of people assembled. Some of them telling their stories as official speakers others in conversation with friends, stories about climate change, hope and renewal.

The event was populated with mostly young people which by itself is inspirational as they are taking action into their own hands and not waiting for anyone else to express their desires for a safer world.

Recent media once again reiterated that current climate change indicators are trending way beyond the limits of climate models. With the pace of warming we can expect an increase of global temperatures of 6-7 degrees-which is a catastrophic warming which is extincting species on the plant already at a pace that outstrips historic mass extinctions.

We are a society hell bent on our own destruction.

Bayswater was a significant site in the lead up to State Government announcement which will see Bayswater B awarded to some electricity supplier who will invest billions in more pollution when the solution is renewable energy.

Renewable's are not a green fantasy but an imperative if we are pull anything from the wreckage of climate change.

Beyond Zero Emissions have been moving from state to state presenting their Zero Carbon Australia Stationary energy Plan which clearly outlines our renewable future. Read at least the executive summary to be convinced that it is possible and we have the technology now.

So the 70 plus people arrested during yesterdays action will have to deal with the system of law, but where is the accountability on reckless government leading us helter skelter to climate catastrophe.Without direct actions helping the message cut through, political webs will continue to make poor decisions that effect us now and well into the future.

Glad I took the drive in my bio fuel driven vehicle to be part of the message and to be re-inspired and hope filled-thanks people-you truly are specially amazing.

Assulted and Insulted by Local Developer

Today the Joint Regional Planning Panel gave approval for the master plan for Claydon Park Retirement Complex ( see previous blog).

I look for silver linings and appreciated the recommendation that came from the panel that tied the development of the Residential High Care Facility to the second stage of the development rather than the fourth stage. The removal of the high care facility from the first stage in the original concept had raised suspicion amongst the community that it would never be delivered.

The second stage of the development brings online a large portion of the self care home sites.

The panel had taken the time to check out the location and consider the context of the development and the pressure that would be on the local hospital and existing high care facilities especially when it comes to palliative care.

As I was leaving the meeting the developer David Matthew approached me grabbed my arm and started to aggressively accuse me of not representing the community and for not coming to see him to discuss the plans, he slapped my chest twice with the back of his hand while telling me that I had sensationalised the issues without giving him the chance to address.

In my opinion Mr Matthew was certainly well supported with at least 4 people speaking in favour of his development.

To say that I was not representing my community is a gross insult. I represented the people who didn't agree with Mr Matthew's point of view- and he shouldn't expect that all people will be on his side during the journey.

It must have upset him greatly to have such a reaction from him- maybe he didn't approve of the high care facility being brought forward.

Now we as  a community will await the development applications as they come in for each stage and give our response to Council.

Claydon Park Retirement Living and the Joint Regional Planning Panel

Tomorrow the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) will deliberate an outcome for the Claydon Park Retirement Complex a master planned village which will be home to 260 self care dwellings and an 80 bed residential care facility.

The proposal sits on Class 1 agricultural land next to the village of Milton at the bottom of the hill.

Council is supporting the application, but I believe that they haven't looked at the application in a strategic context for projected retirement living already planned for the area. This will be one of the points I will make in a presentation to the JRPP.

The proponent of this development has been working on this project for many years and has in my opinion given the town 'developer fatigue'-where he started out with a plan that was completely hideous, moved on to a manufactured homes park and then has turned out this proposal covered in real estate gloss promising a complex that will have everything a resident will ever need including a boutique dairy to produce ice cream, fruit and nut groves and a well being centre.

 Sounds appealing- but the likelihood of it ever coming to fruition is again in my opinion very slim. I think this way because this developer gave glamorous undertakings for one of his in town projects and has subsequently put the land with its plans on the market with a substantial mark up from the original purchase price. There was also the promise of the high care facility being the immediate need and therefore stage one.  For the first project gone are the promises of artisans using quality materials to build unique terrace homes with a quality retail element. This mode of operation can be seen all across NSW.

what is in the pipeline for aged care across Milton area

A recent extension to the existing retirement village.

An approved 80 bed high care facility just 5klms down the road.

A rezoning of  30hect to allow for retirement living (on more marginal agricultural land) again within 5 klms of the village.

Extra home care packages for people who wish to stay at home.

what is needed

More palliative care and the staff to operate.

Better planning so that smaller retirement units are clustered within existing residential areas giving older people a real connection to community.

Pressure from state government for those care packages that have been released but not in use to be activated.

Most Coastal towns and villages are heading in the direction of having more than 60% of their population over 60, we have a real challenge and obligation as planners to make sure that any new homes built today have doors and hallways wide enough for wheel chairs, reinforced walls for railings in bathrooms and at least one entry to the home accessible without stairs-you get the picture-just basic changes for adaptable housing. Adaptable Housing was not supported by Councillors as the cost made homes not affordable. It is far more affordable to prepare for change at the outset of a project than to retrofit a poorly designed house. If more buildings used higher standards it would soon be accepted as the norm.

The other challenge/obligation is to not forget that vibrant and functional communities are blended with all ages and stages not dense clusters of one archetype-this type of social engineering has failed before and will be destined to fail again as we just don't seem to learn from some of our mistakes.

We have to make provisions for our young people who are ending up not only in the minority but also without a voice.

So I'm of to prepare some speaking notes for tomorrows panel and try my best to convince them that this project is speculative, doesn't meet demand, and shouldn't be abusing the State Environment Planning Policy SEPP (Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability) 2004