Please email or phone councillors tonight or first thing tomorrow, if you have any objections to this rezoning, as it will be voted on tomorrow evening.

At tomorrow’s council meeting, councillors will debate the re-zoning  of farmland at 610 Seaham Rd, Nelson’s Plains from Rural (RU1) to residential (RU5). No one in the community has been made aware of this and as a consequence no objections have been lodged with councillors. The developer of this land has however personally lobbied councillors individually. Developers have a history of getting around the council and state laws with no regard to the community that will most likely to be affected. In this case there will need to be changes made to several council rules regarding access to Seaham Rd., distances to odour sources such as the chicken farms, reduce the minimum lot size, etc.

This potential re-zoning is contrary to all council planning guidelines and the term “rural Lifestyle” does nothing to mitigate the loss of productive farmland and the potential loss of investment and livelihood of the 3 surrounding chicken farms.
We urgently need to get the message to councillors before tomorrow’s meeting that you are opposed to this rezoning.

Here are some of the arguments against.
The local farmers object to this because it places extra pressure on their farming practices. Eg: the need to improve pasture land means spreading fertiliser like chicken manure which will obviously annoy any new housing residents.
The chicken sheds which create odour by their very nature and also night time operation, will be at risk. There are guidelines for new housing close to chicken sheds and agricultural for these very reasons and these guidelines will not be met by rezoning.
The rezoning would be contrary to council’s own planning guidelines for rural West Ward and also contrary to NSW planning guidelines.
An extra road intersection onto Seaham Road would add an extra danger with the possibility of 600 trucks per day from the Hanson quarry, should it get the final go-ahead.
Housing in close proximity to floodplain with stormwater run off and potential for polluting the Williams River.
The reduction of lot sizes below the 1ha, to 8000 square metres.
Incompatible land use in the midst of farm and chicken farm. There will be pressure to then close down this chicken industry.
Main argument is the preservation of valuable, productive farmland and agricultural use. Once this is lost it cannot be regained.

Please email or phone your objections to every councillor by tomorrow. The timeline is crucial. As early as possible. Note the P LeMottee has advised he will abstain due to conflict of interests.

Here is a link to the PSC papers, and go to page 98.

https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/trim/council-minutes-2020?RecordNumber=20%2F260273.

Cr Ryan Palmer
mayor@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0402 749 467

East Ward
glen.dunkley@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0438 550 356

jaimie.abbott@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0403 176 298

john.nell@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0419 375 059

Central Ward
chris.doohan@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0434 601 957

sarah.smith@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0421 317 173

steve.tucker@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0437 045 940

West Ward
giacomo.arnott@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0468 391 459

ken.jordan@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0422 781 180

paul.lemottee@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0414 548 525

Welcome to new people following our group.
Thanks for everyone’s support.
Margarete Ritchie.
VOWW.