Sharks plan gains favour
BY MURRAY TREMBATH
08 Dec, 2011 04:00 AM
More than 2000 public submissions are being collated following the end of the exhibition period for the Cronulla Sharks’ development plan.
A total of 1025 submissions, received by November 10, are already on the NSW Department of Planning’s website, and it is understood well over 1000 more were received by Monday’s deadline
Planning officials said it was not an unusually big response for a major project, with a recent proposal attracting 30,000 submissions.
Many letters and emails on both sides of the argument were pro formas. Submissions came from as far as Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria.
The Planning Assessment Commission will hold a public meeting before making a decision about April.
Sharks chairman Damian Irvine said the club was encouraged by the fact that 60 percent of submissions posted on the website so far favoured the development.
He said people were more inclined to make submissions when they opposed change and normally only about 10 percent were supportive.
Mr Irvine and Cronulla MP Mark Speakman, who opposed the scale of the project, agreed the decision would come down to the weight of the cases.
Mr Speakman said the commission would ‘‘get to see everything, not just the edited view of the Department of Planning’’ and it was not an ‘‘all or nothing’’ decision, with the commission able to ask for modifications.
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A NSW Department of Planning spokesman said all submissions made by the closing date would be posted on its website shortly.
The proponent would then be asked to prepare a response to all submissions and could request design modifications and additional information.
This response and any additional information provided would also be published on the department’s website.
The spokesman said the department would then prepare and send its assessment report to the commission, which would determine the application.
Should the department take its time to consider all the submissions?
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/sharks-plan-gains-favour/2385239.aspx
There is also another article, which isnt listed on the website (you can read it by clicking megalodons link) that talks about the Shires failings in servicing and supporting major businesses and how the area needs a modern business park because the economy is really suffering. I honestly believe that us Shire-ites put the blinkers on to some of the negatives of our own area. Sure, its a beautiful place to live, but many of the amenities are a long, long way behind other areas.
