12PM UPDATE:
Woronora Valley Residents Association has written to Planning Minister Pru Goward, saying a ‘‘massive error’’ in Sutherland Shire’s new draft local environmental plan would allow for an access road to be built on — or adjacent — to the fire trail at Woronora.
Provision for “roads” had been made in the new E2 zoning for the fire trail at The Crescent, Woronora, said association vice-president Don Page.
‘‘As the new LEP stands it (the new E2 environmental conservation zone) allows roads in the whole new zoning when they were prohibited in the old 7b (environmental protection bushland),’’ Mr Page said in his letter to Ms Goward.
‘‘This completely violates promises by Sutherland Shire Council that it had abandoned its former plans for a public road on the fire trail through Woronora and Engadine where no road now exists.
‘‘It also violates promises that the old and new zones were consistent. They are not.’’ (See more below)
MONDAY AM:
There will be no public road on the Woronora fire trail which runs from Bundanoon Road, Woronora Heights and The Crescent, Woronora.
Sutherland Shire Mayor Kent Johns has assured the Woronora residents in a statement last Friday that the council does not intend to build a northern access road in the suburb.
His comments on the long running matter preclude a notice of motion that was expected to be filed by Shire Watch Independent councillor Peter Towell tonight at the council meeting.
Cr Towell was expected to ask the council to write ‘‘as a matter of urgency’’ to the Minister for Planning and Environment, Pru Goward to reinstate the prohibition in the Sutherland environment plan 2000 prohibiting a public road on the Woronora fire trail.
‘‘This will make clear that there will never be a public road along the alignment of the Woronora fire trail,’’ Cr Towell said.
His notice of motion says: ‘‘Regardless of the development control table, a public road is prohibited along the alignment of the existing fire trail between Bundanoon Road, Woronora Heights, and The Crescent, Woronora. This land may be used for the purpose of vehicular access by emergency services vehicles and vehicle requiring emergency access only.’’
What is zone E2 Environmental Conservation? This zone applies to areas that contain high ecological, scientific, cultural or aesthetic values. The objectives of the zone are to protect those resources and to prevent development that could destroy damage or otherwise have an adverse effect on those values. This zone is not applied to national parks and nature reserves, which are zoned E1. What can I do in the E2 zone? The following uses are permitted with consent in Zone E2: Environmental facilities; Environmental protection works; Flood mitigation works; Information and education facilities and Roads.
- Sutherland Shire Council website
Cr Johns said Friday: ‘‘We are doing everything we can to ensure there is no way a road can be built on the fire trail at the northern end of Woronora and this means writing to the Planning Minister, Pru Goward, and asking her to allow us to insert a special clause into our new LEP preventing one being permissible there.
“Just as we had in SSLEP 2000, we are requesting the inclusion of the special clause prohibiting a public road being built on the fire trail between The Crescent, Woronora, and Bundanoon Road, Woronora Heights into SSLEP 2015.
‘‘The current fire trail is for emergency access only. The position of this council has not changed and will not change. There should not be a public road where the fire trail sits. I want to allay any fears from the community that the council is planning to build a road on the Woronora fire trail.’’
But Woronora Valley Residents Association Vice President Don Page said that the proposed new E2 zoning as worded would still allow a road to be built beside the existing fire trail.
The trail between Woronora Heights and Woronora Valley has been zoned 7(b) environmental protection (bushland) under the current local environmental plan since 2006.
This preserves the natural bushland areas from urban development and protects flora and fauna habitats.
But the zoning has to change under the draft Sutherland Shire local environmental plan 2013.
The council is proposing to zone the land as E2 environmental conservation which it says is consistent with the current zoning.
In a mayoral minute in July 2013, Cr Johns said: ‘‘It is clear the provision of a public road in this zone is not consistent with the objectives of the zone. Although there is a fire trail linking Woronora Heights with Woronora Valley, the council should clearly indicate that, in accordance with the current and draft zoning, it does not support any opening of the fire trail as a public road.’’
Cr Steve Simpson had said at that time: ‘‘The zoning we are putting on this is the highest zoning we could possibly do. It completely keeps the integrity of the previous zoning.’’
The council had affirmed at that time it ‘‘would maintain the fire trail in a suitable state of repair’’.
Former MP for Menai Alison Megarrity spoke in Parliament on the matter in 2005 when the trail was opened to buses: ‘‘To the shock and outrage of the residents, council decided to convert the fire trail to a bus link between Bundanoon Road, Woronora Heights, and The Crescent, Woronora. However, it took a series of meetings, extraordinary meetings, motions and rescission motions, to even come to this decision.’’
Should the fire trail be open or closed?