Filed under: Barossa, Development, Environment, Gawler, Planning, South Australia, Sustainability, Urban Growth Boundary, Urban Sprawl, ugb | Tags: Delfin Lend Lease, Gawler East
Delfin outlines its timetable for Gawler East Development.
The Urban Growth Community Forum Committee is very concerned about a number of planning and approval issues related to the Delfin Gawler East Development.
The Committee has identified a number of worrying issues in the Delfin produced newsletter entitled Gawler East Development Update, Spring 2008.
The timetable identified by Delfin for rezoning approval seems to be out of sequence with a number of major studies that are currently being undertaken. In the timetable provided, there is no mention of major studies including the effects of traffic issues in and around Gawler. It is being suggested that the proposed Development Plan changes will go on public display before these studies are available. “This is of major concern to people living in Gawler who already have to cope with increasingly clogged road systems and seem to be putting the cart before the horse” a committee spokesperson said.
The Update seems to imply that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the site has been signed between Delfin, Gawler Council and State Government. As we now know the State Government has not signed the agreement.
The Committee considers it is misleading to say that the MoU has been signed. The Committee would also like to know why the Minister has been unable to sign the MoU.
The Delfin Update also quotes statements implying that the area has already been rezoned or that rezoning is a mere formality. For people who are not following the detail of process this could be misleading.
The Committee feels that there is an attempt to heighten the expectation that the development will be approved and put pressure on Government to fast track the process.
The Committee calls on the Minister to make a public commitment to allow all investigations and studies to be completed before rezoning is proposed.. When completed these studies should be part of the community consultation process with enough time for all issues to addressed. The Committee notes the detailed Environmental Impact Study for the Buckland Park site and requests a similar process for Gawler East. In particular, to ensure that all infrastructure issues such as traffic, public transport, water and sewerage are dealt with along with other environmental issues such as genuinely understanding the hydrology of the site and considering the effects on ground fed springs in local rivers and the ramification to the current users of ground sourced water for human and stock needs.
Delfin is a large corporation with a very sophisticated media machine that is very effective in delivering their message. The Committee is calling on the Government to ensure that the community’s voice is also heard by listening to their concerns and with a commitment to not rush a decision that will have irreversible effects on the town of Gawler.
