Landowner Concerns about the Proposed Rail Trail between Armidale and Ben Lomond?
Landowner consent is a key factor when the NSW government considers an application by council to construct rail trail late this year.
In the results released by Armidale Regional Council, 396 submissions within the LG area were classified as supportive of rail trail. Among the submissions in this category, there is Support with substantive landholder reservations, rather than unqualified support.
A major issue arising is whether the concerns expressed by landowners along the rail corridor have been addressed satisfactorily by Armidale Regional Council(ARC)?
What steps it is taking to do so in a respectful way?
A look at submissions confirms that these concerns are real, not merely theoretical.
For example, a submission from a Black Mountain landholder whose farm is divided by the railway corridor , says she supports the trail and can see her family using it, but raises specific concerns about biosecurity, weeds, replacement fencing, children's safety and cattle movements. She says that affected landholders need their questions answered and concludes that she supports the idea but “really need[s] some specifics answered” about effects on their livelihood.
An Armidale respondent specifically identifies privacy, fencing, stock movement, biosecurity, fire risk, access, insurance and maintenance as central issues and says the project should proceed on evidence. He concludes that “if those conditions are met” the trail would be a meaningful investment.
Q. Are you a landowner along the rail corridor between Armidale and Ben Lomond concerned about the rail trail?
Q. Have you been consulted by the council about proposed rail trail? If so how?
Q. Did you send a submission or had opportunity to express your concerns directly to the council staff?
Q. Have your concerns been addressed by the council to your satisfaction or ae you continuing discussions with council staff?
I like to hear from you to understand the extent of council consultsations about rail trail plan with land owners along the rail corridor and the way their concerns have been addressed or not addressed by the council?
Siri Gamage
Email: siri.gamage1951@gmail.com