The Coffs Harbour City Council received a Development Application #0818/18 in April 2018 which proposed the clearing of approximately 6 hectares of heavily timbered and undeveloped land opposite the Linden Avenue intersection on Sawtell Road Toormina, to build a 59 lot housing subdivision. In October 2018 the Proponent listed the DA as a ‘Deemed Refusal’ with the NSW Land and Environment Court and mediation took place throughout 2019. Failure of these attempts led to a full hearing in the NSW LEC in February this year. After five days in Court the Proponent sought a termination which was granted.
The area to be bulldozed is designated and zoned Primary Koala habitat and is recognized as a critical junction in the local koala corridor. Ecological assessments have found the area has significant and recognised high value habitat, not only for Koala, but for a range of other threatened species known to exist in the local area. Over 30 large trees with hollows are distributed across the site. About a third of them have hollows greater than 20cm in diameter. There are also a number of on ground logs with large hollows.
The Proposal would have also destroyed an Endangered Ecological Community (EEC) which is a coastal paperbark and sedgeland swamp, and which currently filters urban stormwater runoff from the surrounding catchment into nearby Boambee Creek.
Residents and friends of Boambee East and Toormina are opposed to the loss and disruption of this significant example of remnant biodiversity and critical habitat, especially given the recent devastating bushfires, loss of wildlife, and significant decline in NSW Koala numbers.
We also object to the sudden horrific and irreversible impact the project will have on the other animals, birds and insects which regularly frequent our gardens and the loss of amenity which contributes to our health and well-being.
We ask all who wish to secure a strong future for the Koala and the future health and well-being of all biodiversity on this planet, to sign this petition, and send a strong signal to the Coffs Harbour City Council and the Developer that bulldozing Lot 2 is not appropriate, and for all parties to work towards a solution which sees the land and its biodiversity protected and managed in perpetuity.