July 16th, 2010
Councillors,
Wollondilly Council.
Dear Councillors ,
Our joint committees wish to convey to you some final points about the proposed rezoning on Moreton Park Road. In Summary, the rezoning application should be rejected because:
- The community believes the development is inappropriate and approval will be a mandate for expansion in the future which is unacceptable, hence the polls 95% rejection.
- “A thorough assessment” has not been done, as was called for in the Macarthur South Paper 1991 (MSP 1991).
- There is a distinct lack of infrastructure with no reliable funds to develop them.
- Menangle Village will be a thoroughfare during construction and a car park for the employees later.
- The development does not capitalize on the existing historical and natural assets.
- It is too close to historic Gilbulla and provides no curtilage for it, (MSP 1991).
- It will be right in the middle of the Macarthur South “important rural backdrop-Menangle Hills” identified as “should be retained” (MSP 1991).
- It is too close to the “undisturbed but under threat” wildlife corridors, (MSP 1991).
- It is in direct opposite to the work of DEC’s on the EAMI, recovering Cumberland Plain bush land.
- We need to reverse the loss of agricultural land in the Sydney Basin.
- We need a mixture of small intensive farming operations for fresh food and employment mixed with a Carol’s Road style rural community.
- There is no mandate for this type of facility in this area .Other employment opportunities are already expanding in the planned and existing retail and industrial areas locally like Macarthur Square, Factory Outlet Centre, Narellan Town centre, Tahmoor Shopping Center, Picton Mall, Smeaton Grange, Campbelltown, Ingleburn, Minto, Narellan, Camden, Wilton, Appin, and Picton, and importantly Camden/Campbelltown’s -Glenlee Industrial Park will be 10km away.
- The Camden/M5 off ramp could well be connected to Menangle Park.
Please note: the remainder of the proponents 650 HA is good agricultural land and the down side is now that the proponents have bought so much land they have locked out others. They have already bought out a pork producer, two vegetable growers, an equestrian center, a lucerne hay producer and two cattle producers. Just as importantly, they have locked up the existing Nepean river pumping rights at the same time.
Yours faithfully,
Menangle Action Group. Menangle Community Association Inc.