Wamberal Lagoon is under threat again: one of the best and healthiest coastal lagoon systems in New South Wales with nationally important wetlands, a breeding ground for internationally endangered migratory birds plus numerous endangered plants and birds yet there is a real risk of it turning into a foetid, stinking mud pond.

The vegetation and land around Forresters Beach directly filters high volumes of polluted water and stops silt running into Wamberal Lagoon.

Yet Council wants to rezone  32.4 hectares (81 acres) of rural land at Forresters Beach to residential zoning even though the whole site is within the Wamberal Lagoon Catchment and only four hectares will be preserved.

This will mean a massive increase in polluted water and silt running into the lagoon PLUS their is no provision for an”environmental buffer” or corridor around the adjoining high value native Endangered Ecological Community (EEC) land.

This would put further pressure on the bushland that directly protects Wamberal Lagoon: the impact would be felt and smelt by thousands of residents, visitors and property owners in the Wamberal area.

The land is also “visually sensitive” and is part of the regionally significant Forresters Beach-Wamberal Landscape Unit because it is a unique landscape within the Gosford area.

27 hectares of wall to wall McMansions is not “visually sensitive.”

Typical of past behaviour, Council hid the proposal deep in the bowels of their horrific website and we only have until Wednesday 27 November to lodge any objections. There are 17 documents and Council’s report in favour of the proposal is 50 pages alone!

The key issue is to email the Council and every Councillor calling for the rezoning to be rejected until the lagoon is guaranteed protection.

Send this Forresters Beach rezoning objection letter – November 2013 (word doc) to the General Manager, Gosford City Council (but do not use original signatures or information you do not want the public (or criminals) to know such as mobile phone numbers etc as Council act very irresponsibly in publishing them) by:

• Email to:  goscity@gosford.nsw.gov.au
• Post to P.O. Box 21
Gosford NSW 2250 or 49 Mann Street Gosford NSW 2250
• Fax to 4323 2477

Contacts for Councillors are:

Councillor Lawrie McKinna

Email: lawrie.mckinna@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0427 682 071

Office: 4325 8296

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Bob Ward

Email: bob.ward@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0427 654 152

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Deanna Bocking

Email: deanna.bocking@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0427 675 450

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Gabby Bowles

Email: gabby.bowles@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0427 784 563

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Chris Burke

Email: chris.burke@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0401 717 555

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Craig Doyle

Email: craig.doyle@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0408 432 753

Fax: 4385 7796

Councillor Jim Macfadyen

Email: jim.macfadyen@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0408 490 130

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Hillary Morris

Email: hillary.morris@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0427 717 028

Fax: 4323 6268

Councillor Vicki Scott

Email: vicki.scott@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0418 699 350

Fax: 4329 6367

Councillor Jeff Strickson

Email: jeff.strickson@gosford.nsw.gov.au

Mobile: 0407 013 599

Fax: 4323 6268

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