The recently built rock wall and the steps at Manfred Street – ironically supposed to be a ‘Interim Beach Access Stabilisation’. After the recent heavy storms the wall is a mess – with rocks and polythene mesh strewn everywhere, the stairs are closed as they are too dangerous to use and the beach is impassable at high tide. This will be a permanent outcome of any rock wall. (photo: Byron Shire News)
A few days ago the Coastal Zone Management Plan was sent to the Minister for Planning for approval. This was despite a resolution by Council to recommit the vote on the CZMP. That resolution appears to have been overruled by Council staff.
(Click here to see The Echo’s report)
IF YOU MADE A SUBMISSION ON THE CZMP — OR EVEN IF YOU DIDN’T — THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY!
You can take action! See below …
The submissions by the community were claimed in the report on the submissions and by the pro-rock councillors to be almost 50/50 for or against. We know Council counted many submissions from people who had stayed at the (unapproved holiday let) homes on Belongil. They gave these the same weight as the considered submissions of us, the genuine stakeholders. What right does someone from out of town who once stayed at a house in Belongil for a weekend have compared to us, who stand to lose our beach and so much more? Should they even be counted?
We need to inform the relevant Ministers about how we have been ignored and what the community actually wants. And that we don’t want rock walls!
The Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, and the Minister for Crown Lands, Niall Blair, still have to sign off on the CZMP. We need to let them know what the community wants, since Council’s report will show the unfair bias of the many non-residents who submitted at the urging of the landowners. We must let them know what the community thinks about the CZMP and that we have not been represented fairly.
There is no direct email address for either minister, only an online contact form.
Please forward your submission and your rejection of this CZMP to the following links:
Contact Minister for Planning
Contact Minister for Crown Lands
You can upload documents up to 5MB so please send a copy of your submission to Council too!
THIS COULD BE THE LAST CHANCE WE HAVE TO BE HEARD — PLEASE MAKE THE EFFORT.
Thank you,
Cate Coorey,
President, Byron Residents’ Group.
This is the rock wall they just built on Belongil without our consent. After the recent storms it was a mess with rocks dislodged and plastic matting shredded and scattered in the water and on the sand. This is not beautiful or natural and it is not sensible.
Byron Residents' Group 