Mayor outraged over development planning

By Jo Kennett

MAYOR CHRIS Cherry and Councillor Nola

Firth say they are not happy that the state government has ignored Council recommendations regarding future development in the shire.

The Tweed Shire Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) 2018 to 2022 was developed with no public input in 2017, shrouded in secrecy, and included a health precinct surrounding a new hospital well before the new hospital was approved.

At the time the hospital was approved, Member for Tweed Geoff Provest assured local residents that there would be no expansion into the surrounding State Significant Farmland.

The Tweed REDS-2023 update was released on March 2, but a Council submission regarding the Tweed Valley Hospital (TVH) “precinct” proposal has been ignored.

Council asked the state Health Infrastructure department to add, “that it does not include any other lands adjacent to or adjoining to the hospital”.

The Tweed REDS — 2023 Update states that the REDS strategy is to “Implement a precinct strategy for the current TVH site — undertake strategic planning to position expansion of the current TVH site, (‘maximising the investment in TVH’), and to “reflect the opportunity to develop a precinct strategy for the current TVH site.”

“To release the state government’s Regional Economic Development strategy for Tweed and leave in there reference to expansion of the new Tweed Valley Hospital site is a slap in the face of Council and of the whole community,” Mayor Cherry said.

“We expressly asked them to honour our community’s desire to protect the State Significant Farmland of the Cudgen Plateau by including it being expressly stated that any precinct strategy for the hospital would be on the hospital site and the Kingscliff TAFE site only and not on lands adjacent.

“It is extremely disappointing when we are working so hard to ensure that we have food bowl resources in our shire into the future.

“It makes you worry about what is planned for that area.”

A Brisbane developer bought land next to the hospital in 2019 with plans for a large “Cudgen Connections” development.

Councillor Nola Firth said there were other aspects of the REDS plan she wasn’t happy with.

“As councillors we put significant time into giving feedback to the state authorities regarding the Tweed Regional Development Strategy — 2023 Update,” she said.

“Our feedback regarding the need for the addition in the document of the importance of the circular economy to support the wise use of resources and reduction of waste has been included.

“However, there are some very important points we raised which have not been addressed.”

Cr Firth said councillors specifically asked for the removal of forestry as an industry in the document.

“Forestry is not an industry here at present,” she said.

“Including specific references to forestry and wood products invites concerns about private native forestry.

“This is especially the case in the light of the lack of protection for koalas in our hinterland and the effort (unsuccessful so far) by the government last year to remove control of private forestry from Council’s powers.

“We also specifically asked for inclusion of a statement that development of the hospital precinct, which is referred to frequently in the document, does not include any State Significant Farmland adjacent to the new hospital. This statement has not been included.”

Cr Firth said our “precious” State Significant Farmland must be protected, “especially in the light of the emphasis given in the document to the importance of agriculture in the region.”

“The issue is of great concern to many in our community,” Cr Firth said.

“We have been given assurance that the state shares our concern regarding such land. It is clear that our community needs this commitment to be upheld.”