Clarence Valley’s councillors have blocked a Department of Regional NSW’s (DRNSW) requestfor Clarence Valley Council (CVC) to make a financial contribution towards a study, which two councillors say would normally be undertaken by a developer.
At the July CVC meeting, councillors considered astaff recommendation to “match $25,000 from the DRNSW to undertake a ‘Market Sounding’ analysis as a first step to support a potential full business case for the development of the newly zoned (2015) land at the Harwood Marine Precinct”.
At the July CVC meeting, Cr Andrew Baker moved a motion, which was adopted,opposing Environment, Planning & Community director Des Schroder’s recommendation.
Cr Baker’s motion noted CVC’s continued “in-principle support for the establishment of Clarence Valley marine-related industry, including the current basic concept of a Harwood Marine Precinct” and advocated to “advise DRNSW that [CVC] will make no contribution toward a Market Sounding or any market development initiatives on the basis that Council considers the cost of private developer market research should not be met by Council”.
Cr Baker said contributing the money “would set a precedent” and that the council should “stay at arm’s length to a proposed sale or any other sales components of a private developer’s visions … so when a development application (DA) or any other proposal comes to council it can be there in an unbiased position”.
Seconder of the motion, Cr Karen Toms, said she would “never support giving money to a business from the ratepayers’ purse for market development … but I wish Harwood Marine all the best with their endeavours”.
Both councillors made mention of Yamba Engineering’s failed proposal (without specifically naming the business) to establish a boat building facility on Palmers Island.
Cr Toms noted that Yamba Engineering had completed a range of studies for its proposal and that “none of those studies have been done on this [Harwood] land that we supported rezoning from agricultural land” to Working Waterfront 4 zoned land.
Only Cr Greg Clancy voted against the motion (Cr Jason Kingsley was absent), however, his opposition to the 3-point motion focussed on the potential negative impact marine industries could have on the river’s environmental and ecological qualities.
“I’m all for supporting not making a contribution,” he said, “so I’m for part of the motion, but not all of it.”
Point three of Cr Baker’s motion called for “a report at the earliest opportunity, outlining the constraints and opportunities of a marine precinct in the Clarence Valley”.
He said that “for its own information [CVC] should address point three … which will go to the constraints and opportunities faced by this properly zoned land [at Harwood] to get it from where it is right now to where it is ready for someone to occupy or someone put in a DA into council that makes somewhere to occupy”.
From this perspective, Cr Baker said that the report would also “inform other potential buyers once there is a plan” and identify all land (correctly zoned or not) that is potentially available to accommodate a marine precinct.
“This is not designed to stall … this is designed to try to get some momentum going to push this thing along” he said.
Who knew there was an ‘elephant in the room’?: www.clarencevalleynews.com.au/who-knew-there-was-an-elephant-in-the-room