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The
Otford South precinct must be
zoned E2 and/or E1 Environmental Conservation, as it sits above
the Hacking River . It
is very important part of the wildlife habitat corridor linking the
Royal National Park to the Illawarra escarpment. And contains beautiful
areas of rainforest in the deep valley and old growth forest on the
steep upper slopes. Powerful owls, bentwing bats, pygmy
possums all inhabit this region, and there is high evidence of resident
platypus on the banks of the river.
It can not be developed without great detriment to the relative
pristine tributary water of the Hacking River , the same water sections that
sustained refugee wildlife escaping from the mighty fires that razed
the bordering Royal National Park during the fires of 2002.
All
stormwater and run off leads
directly to the Hacking River, and borders the Garawarra State
Conservation & Royal National Park area.
Containment ponds
in
Helensburgh have failed , and more will not help. There is no guarantee
stormwater and pollution control systems will work effectively in such
a high rainfall region. The only
method to retain the relative purity of the Hacking catchment and
river, is to cease and prevent any new development, and restore
degraded land to native bush.
The
forest and bushland north, east and south of this precinct should not
only be preserved
but restored. It helps maintain the microclimate
of the Otford valley and Hacking catchment
moist and temperate. It is also of great scenic and tourist
value, as borders Bald Hill and the Grand Pacific Drive.
Any zoning other than E2 does not provide
adequate protection against land clearing nor future high density
dwellings.
We have already seen how quick the Department of Planning can
remove clauses that would otherwise inhibit development. This
precinct must be zoned E2.
For the remainder of the the '7d' lands I do not support the
zone downgrading of environmental protection of any '7D' land in the
2508 region.
Yours faithfully
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