Pittwater Life October 2023 Issue

News
Lizard Rock
‘secrecy’ a concern
Wakehurst
MP Michael
Regan has
accused the NSW
Government
of acting in
secrecy following
its decision
to progress
the proposed
Lizard Rock
FIRE RISK:
Lizard Rock.
development to the next stage of
planning.
Mr Regan said the decision by the
NSW Department of Planning comes
despite vehement opposition from the
community and Northern Beaches
Council and after the Metropolitan
Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC)
submitted amended plans which the
public were not made aware of.
“The lack of transparency that has
characterised this process is of huge
concern,” Mr Regan said. “The proposal
for 450 homes at Lizard Rock that would
result in the destruction of bushland in
Belrose equivalent to the size 46 football
fields has progressed to the next stage
of planning and is now open for public
consultation,” Mr Regan said.
“I also note the proposal has a new
name – the Patyegarang Planning
Proposal – to demonstrate the significant
cultural and environmental significance
of the site.
“Whether the planning proposal is
called Lizard Rock or Patyegarang, it
doesn’t change the substance of the
issue – that this is an unsustainable and
dangerous proposal.
“To date the
private panel
appointed by
the previous
Coalition
Government
has ignored
the community
and ignored
independent
experts who all
say this is a terrible proposal and that it
should never have progressed this far.
“The Minns Government needs to kill
this proposal off and find alternative
sites for the developer.
“The previous Government along with
Council knocked back development
proposals at nearby Ingleside for similar
reasons. The site is a fire zone and
building here will put thousands of
people at risk.
“As the Minns Government has also
flagged, greenfield development where
native trees and vegetation is destroyed
for housing is not sustainable.
“(Lizard Rock) is unsustainable,
costly as new essential services and
infrastructure will need to be built from
scratch, and dangerous – potentially
putting thousands of people in a highrisk
fire zone.
“Even the picture chosen by the
Planning Department for use on the
online portal clearly demonstrates the
environmental destruction that could be
about to occur at this site.
“Have we not learned anything from
previous bushfires and other poor
planning proposals? Clearly not.” – NW
Beaches’
unresolved
land claims
Northern Beaches Council says it is
aware of several unresolved land
claims under the NSW Aboriginal Land
Rights Act across its 30-kilometres-long
Local Government Area.
In September, it was revealed that a 2009
land claim made by the Metropolitan Local
Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) on 2,500
square metres of harbourfront bushland
adjoining Balmoral Beach at Mosman had
progressed to assessment phase.
The claim blindsided Mosman Councillors
who said they were unaware of its existence.
The Councillors voted against the claim
at their September meeting; however local
Government is not empowered to halt
the process under the Act, with the NSW
Government’s Crown Lands department the
authority.
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins told
Pittwater Life: “Council is supportive of the
intent of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. We
appreciate the importance of enabling
Aboriginal people to achieve economic selfdetermination
through land claims, subject
to the relevant planning controls.
“We seek to foster strong relationships
with the MLALC, as well as our local
Aboriginal communities generally.”
If a claim on land within the Northern
Beaches under the Aboriginal Land Rights
Act were to be successful, the land can
be developed by the MLALC subject to
planning legislation (an example is the
current process at Lizard Rock, Belrose).
Pittwater Life was not told of the locations
of unresolved claims on the Northern
Beaches, or when they were lodged.
– NW
16 OCTOBER 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991