Shoalhaven Schools NOT for Sale

NSW Schools under threat from land use zoning changes.

Shoalhaven Schools Not for Sale


"The Greens are not prepared to stand by and watch our schools, hospitals, halls, churches, parks or any other public facilities that the Department of Planning wants to rezone for residential purposes sold off to the higher bidder" says Greens Candidate for the South Coast Amanda Findley.

"Land was set aside for the community generations ago and zoned in such a way as to make it very difficult to sell off for other purposes. Now the government wants to remove any impediments so that it can cash in on the increased land value these precious community assets tie up.

"The selling off of special use land assets to the highest bidder, usually for residential development, is short sighted and does nothing for planning for infrastructure needs into the future. It sets the state up for infrastructure failure and high cost land buy backs" she said.

"Should the Coalition be successful in forming government after the State election in March the Labor party are handing them all the right circumstances and excuses to move quickly to sell off property. I have no confidence that either major party will be interested in protecting special use land for hospitals and schools if the development lobby comes knocking. Across the state councils are being ordered to rezone this type of land - a diabolical plan to remove protection and snatch assets for quick sale.

" The draft Shoalhaven Local Environment Plan is very close to being released for public exhibition and we need our residents to scrutinise the maps and make a submission telling the Department of Planning that we say NO to having zoning protection removed from our public properties.

" In other areas rezoning of public facilities has taken place with little or no recognition of the consequences of zoning schools and hospital grounds as a part of the residential area.

" In Shellharbour for example over 30 properties that include schools, railways, police, churches and childcare centres have been rezoned for residential or business use.

" This is a real problem on more than one level for not only does it block public participation when it comes to rezoning public facilities but it also opens the way for any incoming state government to start selling land that was previously unavailable. The Greens will protect public land by reinstituting zoning which protects public infrastructure and instituting a parliamentary process for any sale of public assets in NSW" Ms Findley says.

"We need to send the message loud and clear that we want public facilities protected from redevelopment. We want our Council to boycott the demands of the Department of Planning and we want a policy commitment from all parties to reverse this diabolical grab for public assets".