Coffs Harbour residents fight development plans

John Gardener

The Coffs Harbour City Council is facing strong and growing 
resistance from local residents over its planned development of 
the Coffs Harbour foreshore on the northern coast of NSW.

The development plans, which were released late last year for 
public exhibition, would fundamentally change the entire nature 
of the area: large scale housing developments, close to the 
beach, and a massive expansion of the commercial marina have been 
included. As has become the norm, there was no broad community 
involvement in the Council's development planning.

In January, concerned local residents formed the Jetty Action 
Group (JAG), to maintain and build a campaign to stop the 
development. The group has been inundated with support.

"Opposition is almost universal throughout Coffs. The Council is 
trying to foist a nightmare on residents", said Wayne Evans, one 
of the JAG organisers.

"It has used rubbery figures to try and force this through. One 
of the arguments it's using is that an expansion to the 
commercial fishing in the area will add $50m to the local 
economy. Figures like this are just ludicrous: catches from all 
commercial fishing have been declining for more than 15 years, as 
we know from catches recorded at both Coffs' fishing co-ops. Any 
expansion of commercial fishing is completely unrealistic.

"The government has already been buying back commercial fishing 
licences to reduce fishing catches in the area. It's stupid when 
one government department is spending money to stop commercial 
fishing, while another is going to spend money on increasing it", 
Mr Evans pointed out.

"And the housing developments planned there are what worries us 
and most locals. Under the plans (drawn up by a Woollhara-based 
company, the Stafford Group) it's proposed that hundreds of 
housing units be built on the foreshores: we are concerned that 
if this goes through, how is council going to stop any additional 
developments that pop up in the future?"

Coffs Harbour residents have been opposed to over-development of 
the area for decades. More than 10 years ago, a large campaign 
was built to stop similar developments from going through.

"We are concerned that Coffs residents will be stuck with a giant 
$74 million lemon, that we will be paying for through increased 
rates and charges. We will be paying more so that Council can 
provide a playground for the rich, that most Coffs residents 
won't be able to afford", said Mr Evans.

To protest against the planned development, JAG is calling its 
first major public rally on Sunday, March 21, starting at11am, at 
the North Endof Jetty Beach.

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For more information, contact Wayne Evans 02 6656 1358 or 
Gavin Smithers 02 6651 6880.

You can visit the JAG website at http://www.esmediaweb.com/jagor email 
them at savejetty@bigpond.com

You can also write to them at:

Jetty Action Group PO Box 1512 Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450