Another Sad Planning Saga for Newcastle - Public Accountability is Needed

Newcastle was a leader in Town  Planning up until the December 1989 Earthquake and with the establishment of  the Honeysuckle Development Corporation with its 1993 approved scheme and Concept Masterplan. This created a non-transparent quasi planning authority in conflict with the statutory planning machinery of the State that ordinary people can see and comply with.

This conflict played havoc in the Newcastle the City Council when HDC wrongly called for expressions of interest for its first Central Honeysuckle development at Merewether Street Wharf before planning proposal had been officially gazetted.  Appallingly Newcastle councillors were blamed and their Consent Authority status for Central Honeysuckle was taken over by the Minister.  Later the HDC closed off and built out the Merewether Street View Corridor to the Harbour.

Deplorably the HDC has not had an appropriate ‘Approved Scheme’ as required by statute to guide the development of their gazetted Growth Centre.  Furthermore following their failure to vary their scheme to comply with the Regional Environmental Plan (Central Honeysuckle) made by  Minister Knowles in December 1997 they have been unrestrained without an approved public Scheme.  Outrageously a new HDC Scheme was only secretly given approval by Minister Hazzard in  September 2012 even though the Growth Centre was enlarged in 2008 to encompasses every Local Government area in the Hunter Region. The Parks Movement is on record that it had been asking that the HDC vary its scheme in a transparent way to bring it up-to-date and comply with the Growth Centres Act.

The recent collusion between the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Transport culminating in compulsory acquisition orders  issued the 17th and 19th December  implementing a device aimed to confuse the people of the region and bypass the NSW Parliament to close the Newcastle railway is unpardonable. It is in direct contravention of section 99A of the Transport Administration Act and transfers the land and rail infrastructure to Hunter Development Corporation who have never been an appropriate transport authority.

This sad planning saga can only be given clear direction by a comprehensive public planning commission of inquiry.

Doug Lithgow
President, Parks and Playgrounds Movement
Freeman of the City of Newcastle

FOUR SIMPLE QUESTIONS

From Doug Lithgow to Newcastle City Councillors and News Editors

You are no doubt aware that Newcastle has hot summer days and that the people of Newcastle appreciate the shade and beauty of the cathedral arch of the Laman Street Trees.

To understand the Laman Street issue

You must first ask yourself:

1. Do you want to develop Laman Street?

2. Do you have an idea of the way you would like it developed?

3. Do you need to remove trees to develop the area in the way you wish?

4. Does the development you propose require the alteration of Council’s Plan of Management: Civic Precinct “Heritage Places Strategic Plan published by Council 1/6/2000?

Were you able to answer ‘yes’ to any of the four questions?

If you were able to answer ‘Yes’ to any of the questions then a Development Application (DA) and an Assessment of your proposal is required by law.

Why is Council able to disregard the law?

Only by pretending that there is no development proposed and by claiming that the trees are a hazard to traffic and have to be summarily removed.

If Council told the people of Newcastle officially about a specific development that was adopted they would have to prepare a Development Application and have a transparent assessment. Council would then not be able to use s.88 of Roads Act to escape lawful Public Exhibition and Assessment.

Public probity demands that an independent assessment of the risk factors is needed to assess the unscientific inflated risk reports relied on by Council. Any development proposed will offcourse require a lawful DA.

All Councillors should be demanding a transparent independent reassessment of the Hazzard or risk?

From Doug Lithgow President Parks and Playgrounds Movement Inc.
Phone 49431781 Mobile 041922 6897

Newcastle Heritage Corridors

The schematic diagram above links the Newcastle Heritage Precincts with identifiable Heritage Corridors, and I have used some of Charles Martin’s line drawings from the Heritage Guide Map Charles prepared for the National Trust.

Newcastle Heritage Corridors:

- Harbour Foreshore Heritage Corridor – Lee Wharf, AA Coy. Wharf Queens Wharf,
- Transport Heritage Corridor -Rail and Road transport Spine: Newcastle Railway Station Signal Box.
- Coal River Heritage Corridor - Convict Lumberyard, Nobbys, Macquarie Pier, Convict Mines, Fort Scratchley, Coal River Precinct,
- Pacific Park Heritage Corridor – Newcastle Beach, Ocean baths, Royal Newcastle Hospital.
- Government House Heritage Corridor – Convict wharf, Customs House, Council chambers Coal Shafts.
- Courthouse Heritage Corridor – Newcastle Post Office, Newcastle Herald Building Cohen Warehouse, Grand Hotel, Newcastle Courthouse, Fletcher Hospital, King Edward Park
- Cathedral Heritage corridor – Queens Wharf, Market Square, Cathedral Cemetery, Christ Church Cathedral, Obelisk Hill.
- Civic Heritage Corridor – Maritime Centre, Museum, Civic Station, Civic Theatre, City Hall, Civic Park, Capt. Cook Fountain, Cultural Centre.