Labor’s attempt to ‘sell’ its now gazetted Ku-ring-gai Town Centres Local Environment Plan shows a government that is both delusional and out of touch according to Member for Davidson, Jonathan O’Dea. 

“Claims the LEP will deliver future growth close to existing infrastructure and services ring hollow at St Ives where there is no rail line and only access by increasingly crowded roads. Like other Town Centres, the St Ives plan is not accompanied by an appropriate commitment to upgrade infrastructure, including public transport and essential utilities,” Mr O’Dea said.

“Then there are claims the LEP followed extensive public consultation. However,  many would say the consultation was little more than the NSW Labor Government and its Planning Panel telling Ku-ring-gai Council residents what it intended to impose on their community, by-passing their elected council.

“This week marks the anniversary of the sham public meeting forum at the UTS, when the Labor-appointed Planning Panel adopted the Town Centre LEP recommendations without amendment after listening to many public speakers and denying others the chance to speak,” he said.

“While the long-awaited gazettal of some local conservation areas, after years of lobbying, is acknowledged and welcomed, claims the thousands of extra dwellings properly respect Ku-ring-gai’s existing character are laughable. We have already seen bulldozing of homes with substantial conservation value, which will now continue.

“The issue of dwelling numbers remains controversial. The NSW Metropolitan Strategy requires 10,000 new dwellings in Ku-ring-gai by 2031. However, Council’s analysis (accepted by the Planning Panel) clearly indicates that in addition to the 5,500 already built or approved, the overall local planning regime (including the Town Centres LEP) allows for at least another 7,500 new dwellings. Conservatively, this will result in a minimum of 13,000 new dwellings for the area,” Mr O’Dea said.

Member for Ku-ring-gai and Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell has already stated, the NSW Liberals and Nationals policy is to:

• return local planning powers to local councils;

• scrap Part 3A which gives the Minister for Planning the power to override local communities;

• re-write the State’s 30 year old planning laws to  ensure greater certainty, transparency, timeliness and merit-based decision-making;

• appoint a Minister for Planning and Infrastructure to guarantee planning decisions are matched by improvements to infrastructure and services;

• create a separate Minister for Heritage to end the current conflict of interest between a Minister responsible for development and heritage protection; and

• cap donations, limiting election spending and regulating lobbyists to end Labor’s ‘decisions for donations’ culture.

“The NSW Liberals and Nationals also strongly oppose the compulsory acquisition of private property to on-sell to developers, as canvassed by Labor.

"Further, in government we would look for ways to reflect our respect for the agreed 10,000 new dwelling target for Ku-ring-gai," Mr O'Dea concluded.