Anthony Roberts, Minister for Energy and Member for Lane Cove and the NSW Department of Industry have justified their destruction of old trees in Hunters Hill as ‘authorised vegetation removal’ in their recent letter to the hunters-hill-trust.
A community committee will review Ausgrid’s guidelines. Contact Ausgrid’s Vegetation & Inspection Manager, Kevin Hamblin on (02) 4399 8172 to convey your view or if you want further information.
The Total Environment Centre is coordinating input to the Greater Sydney Commission from community groups, including Hunters Hill Trust. 6 areas of common interest and major concern about the rampant development in Sydney have been defined:
Experts, community groups and advocates are spelling out what action is needed now for each of these issues. Draft strategies to protect heritage include:
The issues and suggested strategies for all 6 concerns are set out in the Summary of the Environment Panel’s Draft Report to GSC.
The Hunters Hill Trust wants the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) to include heritage and conservation as core values and a central aspect of making great places for people to live. The HHT’s submission to the GSC points to the crisis in heritage and conservation in Sydney.
Hunters Hill is part of the GSC’s Northern District. The Draft District Plan will be released on November 21st at the same time as the Northern District Planning Panel starts its operations. This panel has the power to:
The Greater Sydney Commission Act sets out the rules. Each council nominates their members of the Planning Panel. At least one of these nominees must be a person who has expertise in at least one area of planning, architecture, heritage, the environment, urban design, land economics, traffic and transport, law, engineering or tourism. Where a matter is considered, the council nominated representatives for the particular council where that matter is located will sit on the panel.
We need to watch this space, ask questions, make comments, insist on high standards.
10/50 code action in Hunters Hill
Lane Cove image: bugs.bio.usyd.ed.au
Lane Cove Council has had a big win for trees in their area. Under the 10/50 Code the owners of nearly 90% of Lane Cove properties could cut down trees within 10 metres of their house without council permission. Huge numbers of trees that presented no bushfire risk have been cut down. Hunters Hill and other council areas have similar problems. Lane Cove Council’s bushfire manager worked closely with the Rural Fire Service so now 90% of Lane Cove bushland reserves are safe from the ravages of the 10/50 Code.
State government and councils are responsible for a staggering list of recent losses and CURRENT threats:
Go to the Total Environment Centre petition to say ENOUGH – we care about this.
Big changes are underway at the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC). Hunters Hill is part of the GSC’s vast Northern District which also includes Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Northern Beaches, Mosman, North Sydney, Ryde and Willoughby councils. There are 6 Districts in Greater Sydney.
The Northern District Planning Panel will start its operations on November 21st, chaired by Dr Deborah Dearing. This panel has the power to:
The Sydney Planning Panels have to take their District Plan into consideration when reviewing Local Environmental Plans and considering rezoning review requests. The Draft District Plan for the Northern District is currently being prepared and is due for release on November 21.
Submissions from the general community are being collated now. Send your ideas, priorities and considered advice to http://www.greater.sydney/Discuss.
Avon
Hunters Hill Trust members and their guests are invited to our 2016 Christmas party. Trust members Barbara and Nick Dorsch have kindly agreed to host our annual event at Avon, their historic home in Woolwich. Avon was built in 1890 on land that was once owned by Wilberforce S. Gale. The house was left to St John’s Church in 1920 that owned it until 1970.
When: Friday 16th December at 6.30pm
Where: 7 Gale Street, Hunters Hill
Cost: $55 per person
example in Park Rd, BP
After no response from Anthony Roberts, MP for Lane Cove we contacted the media. You may have caught some of the outrage aired on ABC Radio. On 18 September, we attended a community meeting convened by Jo Haylen, MP for Summer Hill and Jamie Parker, MP for Balmain, who were both arguing in the House of Reps for the Minister for Energy to direct Ausgrid to stop lopping trees across the inner west and conservation areas.
Ausgrid was invited to the meeting but did not attend. It was a passionate, crowded meeting and residents from Leichhardt, Balmain, Marrickville, Haberfield and Hunters Hill all detailed examples of the severity of the chopping, incompetence of the contractors, lack of adequate response from Ausgrid and disinterest of the Minister, Anthony Roberts.
A small win: Ausgrid have made a commitment to reduce the ‘second’ trimming (ie trimming for regrowth) to 0.5 metres. Jamie Parker’s press release, Jo Haylen’s press release.
Iris Hotel Group Management isn’t taking ‘NO’ for an answer and has taken their application to extend the alcohol trading hours at Hunters Hill Hotel to the Land and Environment Court.
Extending trading hours is likely to increase the alcohol related harm in the area. They want approval to sell alcohol:
A conciliation conference will be held on site at 9:30am on December 15th 2016. Concerned residents are encouraged to attend and/or address the Commissioner. Further information is available from Rachel Knapman at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers (02) 9334 8507.
Hunters Hill Ventures Pty Ltd has lodged an appeal in the Land and Environment Court after Hunters Hill Council refused their Development Application to build a huge child care centre in Joubert Street. The planned centre would cater for 98 children and is likely to cause:
A meeting of concerned residents will be held: 7:00pm Monday 26th September at Gladesville Community Centre, 44 Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill
You can read the Hunters Hill Trust’s submission to Council here.
2 Vernon Street from the reserve
viewed from the street
The Land and Environment Court has found that 2 Vernon Street should NOT be demolished as proposed in the development application: a victory for heritage and conservation.
