A long-term Shoalhaven conservationist has labelled the approved West Culburra housing development "unconscionable" and expressed grave concerns it could pose a bushfire threat to residents and wildlife.
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The proposal, which was amended from 650 homes to 293 homes and will see 46 hectares of vegetation cleared, was approved by the Land and Environment Court last week.
President of the Lake Wollumboola Protection Association, Frances Bray, said since the proposal was amended in 2018, the Black Summer bushfires have changed the environment drastically.
The Association accepts improvements were made to the plans, but fear not enough weight has been placed on bushfire protection.
"To be expanding urban development by removing 46 hectares of really good quality coastal vegetation, which supports threatened species, is just unconscionable," said Ms Bray, an award-winning conservationist.
"In this day and age, we should be making sure that we protect the areas that were not affected by bushfire as refuges for birds and fauna.
"We believe that while there are parts of the Lake Wollumboola catchment that are not going to be included in this development, it still destroys 46 hectares of the Crookhaven River catchment, and we just can't support that."
On December 1, the Court ordered that the developers, Sealark, must not begin construction without community consultation that has been approved by Shoalhaven City Council.
The Court also ordered that an independent environmental representative must be appointed to oversee conditions and make recommendations that minimise adverse impact to the environment.
Sealark have also been ordered to collaborate with a representative of the Aboriginal community to develop an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan.
Ms Bray said it would be difficult for one environmental representative to maintain oversight over the entire project.
"We wonder why a development application is approved that depends on having a government appointed oversight role to make sure the developer sticks to the conditions stated in the approval," she said.
"In our view, much more thought is required for planning stages and setting and evaluating outcomes and providing overall public accountability."
Ms Bray added she is "skeptical" over the degree of community consultation that will occur.
"This has been a very long process. The development application was launched in 2010 and publicly exhibited in 2013," she said.
"There was at least one opportunity for community members to actually visit parts of the site that were originally being proposed...but we don't think that the consultation over that long period of time was adequate."
The Halloran Trust and Shoalhaven City Council were contacted for comment.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
