Compiling a list of Community Concerns

We are seeking some input:

Our immediate aim is to stop this major housing development on Blackheath airstrip and surrounding bushland until there has been proper community consultation and assessment of the social and environmental impact.

We are planning to meet with each councillor next week and are in the process of compiling a list of community concerns to raise with them. If you have any concerns please e-mail them to us in dot-point form.

Thank you for your valued input,
Blackheath Airstrip Community Group

blackheathairstripcg@gmail.com

Preliminary questions for tonights Council Meeting

There is a Council meeting tonight; we will have people there to try to get BMCC to delay the commencement of works on this development until concerns raised by the community are satisfied. 
The preliminary questions are:

Consultation 
• Council states in its Community Consultation policy (as approved by Council on 29 September 2009 and revised on 12 October 2010), that it “considers consultation as a central principle in sound planning and decision making”. Despite this, at its meeting on13 March 2012, Council made some significant resolutions about the future of the Blackheath Airstrip site without any form of community consultation, despite the significant impact that the resolutions would have on the community. Why was no community consultation undertaken? 
• Why is a plan of subdivision registered in 1929 (83 years ago) considered appropriate today for a development of this magnitude (either 45 or 90 potential new houses) and having regard to the changes since 1929?
• Has Council rescinded its 1956 decision to use the proceeds of sale of the airstrip for the purpose of tar sealing and kerb and guttering in Blackheath? If so, when did Council do this?

Safety issues
• What assessment was made as to the impact of increased resident numbers in the case of bushfire, particularly concerning traffic ingress and egress? In that regard what report has been prepared by the NSW Fire Brigade or Rural Fire Service to assess the risk to public safety in the event of bushfire, especially in regard to the evacuation of the increased number of residents?
• What assessment has been undertaken to ensure that the airstrip land is not contaminated from airport usage, the sewerage works depot (on the airstrip site during 2007,2008,2009) and any illegal dumping (particularly when asbestos has been found on site)?

Sustainability
• What reports have been received by Council to assess the sustainability of the development? Where can these reports be accessed? In particular, on what basis did Council find that there would be nil negative environmental, social, economic and governance impacts of the proposed development? 
• What feasibility study has been undertaking to confirm the economic viability of the development, having regard to the statement to Council that the real estate market is flat?

Infrastructure
• What upgrades is Council proposing to the existing infrastructure and utilities in the surrounding area having regard to impact on the area of this proposed development (both within the development site and within the broader local area)? For example, are the natural gas pipeline, the sewerage lines and drainage able to cope with the increased demand and changed use of the land?
• What report has Council commissioned to consider the suitability of the road surface of Hat Hill Road for this major development, both during any development and into the future when there will be increased traffic usage?

Meeting with Council
• When are Council members available to address the Blackheath community at a public forum about the many concerns raised by this development?

Blackheath faces major development!

Blue Mountains City Council has approved development of the Hat Hill Rd ex-airstrip site and large areas of surrounding bushland.

This was done with absolutely NO consultation with residents or the community.

They are clearing a large amount of good bushland, and possibly installing 90 homes, twice what is recommended by their own zoning.

This is being considered based on a now-outdated subdivision plan from 1928.

It is being done purely for financial reasons and has not been fully documented, ie the small community of Blackheath is possibly being hugely impacted for little or no reason

They have assessed the environmental and social impact as "nil"!

THIS WILL START IN MAY 2012… not much time to have your voice heard!

Details can be found by downloading the PDF
http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcouncil/councilmeetings/2012meetings/13march2012
on the right, under
"USING LAND FOR LIVING"
"Item 13: Project Plan for Existing Land Sub-Division in Hat Hill Road, Blackheath"

Things to do:

• Read the PDF.
• Register your email with us for updates: blackheathairstripcg@gmail.com
• Tell your neighbors!
• Call the Council, ask them to explain it.
• Write to the 'Blue Mountains Gazette' http://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/content/letterstotheeditor/
• Email/write to BMCC/Councillors
• Council@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
• http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcouncil/councillors
• The mayor is Cr Daniel Myles dmyles@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
• In particular, your local councilors are
  Terri Hamilton  thamilton@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
  Janet Mays  jmays@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
  El Gibbs  egibbs@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
• Go to the Facebook page and 'LIKE' it! Comment! (Numbers matter!) and join the Facebook group 
• Visit our online sites and join the fight
  BLOG: 
  http://blackheathairstripcommunitygroup.blogspot.com.au/
  
  FACEBOOK PAGE:
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackheath-Airstrip-Community-Group/341638479229487
  
  FACEBOOK GROUP: 
  http://www.facebook.com/groups/BACGD/members/
  
  TWITTER:
  https://twitter.com/#!/BACGT

We chose to live in Blackheath, a unique small town where we can enjoy the bush. We would expect to be able to be consulted about such a major impact on our environment and our community.