Central Coast Council is calling on the State Government to pause works and consult with residents over amended plans for the Rail Maintenance Facility at Kangy Angy which has resulted in significant removal of trees.

The move is to support local residents who are staging a protest at the construction site of the $300 million rail maintenance facility.

Mayor Jane Smith who will meet on site with residents today said the Coast’s natural environment was highly valued by residents and is what makes the Coast unique and must be protected.

“Council, despite being the level of government closest to the people, has limited power to ensure these works are compliant. We have raised this directly with the Department of Planning but that is all we can do at this time,” Mayor Smith said.

“We are currently awaiting clarification about which agency has responsibility for monitoring the compliance of works on site.

“That is why we are calling on the State Government to pause construction – in a show of good faith to the community – consult with Council and assure the residents the works underway will have a minimal impact on the natural environment and amenity of the area.

“I intend to go out to the site myself today and talk directly to the residents and tell them their Council stands with them in this fight to minimise further impacts on our natural environment and improve the outcomes for the local residents.

“Council has shown strong leadership in our previous resolution calling on Transport NSW to change the location for the facility and our resolve has not changed.”

A large portion of land for the Kangy Angy site is zoned E2 Environmental Conservation and applies to all areas that contain high ecological, scientific, cultural or aesthetic values.  The objectives of the zone is to protect these resources and prevent development that would have an adverse affect on them.  Construction permitted in E2 zones includes flood mitigation works, roads and environmental facilities. 

“The State government has used its powers to override the zonings and allow the maintenance facility on this site, when an alternate location was offered. This demonstrates the vulnerability of our current environmental zonings”, said Mayor Smith.

“Council’s proposal calling on the State Government to introduce a new environmental zone - E5 – to protect conservation lands had the unanimous support of the recent Local Government Conference,” Mayor Smith said.

“It is now time for the State Government to listen to the united voice of Councils and show its own strong commitment to protecting environmental lands by introducing the E5 zoning.”

The new E5 Public Conservation zoning would apply to public land assigned for conservation which is not an identified state National Parks and nature reserves and would prohibit development on such lands.

The Mayor will be on site at Kangy Angy at 2.30pm today to meet with local residents.  A meeting between Council’s Chief Executive Officer and Senior Staff with Transport NSW will be held later this week.