The Sydney North Planning Panel will hold an online public meeting on Monday, 9 December 2024 at 9.30am for the community to discuss the Patyegarand Planning Proposal (formerly known as Lizard Rock).
The proposal is to rezone 71-hectares of land, encompassing Lizard Rock on Morgan Road in Belrose, for the development of 450 home subdivisions.
In June 2023, the Panel approved the proposal for Gateway Determination, a public exhibition period followed between September and November 2023.
The Panel is now reviewing those submissions, which include 1,347 pages of community submissions and 16 pages of industry submissions and will hold an online public meeting to provide individuals, community groups, proponent representatives, council representatives and agency representatives to either attend as a ‘listener’ or to provide a three-minute speech (with community groups allowed 10 minutes).
“Further information on meeting details will be released via email after registrations close and will be dependent on the number of speaker registrations. Community groups are given additional speaking time and will reduce in speakers covering the same topics. Repetition of topics will not be permitted during the meeting to allow for all the submitter’s concerns to be raised during the meeting.”
To register to attend or speak at the meeting, please register here.
The land was granted to the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) under the provisions made in the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (ALR Act).
MLALC states it has a vision to transform the land asset into economic, social, and cultural opportunities for Aboriginal people.
“A sustainable, resilient, and affordable community will be designed with a commitment to respecting and responding to the natural environment and its unique characteristics. A range of lot sizes will enable rocky outcrops, existing trees, and landscape features to be retained.
Self-determination and Caring for Country are the foundations of the masterplan that includes restoration of natural habitat, watercourses, and ecological corridors as well as conservation and preservation of significant Aboriginal rock carvings.”
However, Northern Beaches Environlink, a coalition of residents, environmentalists, councillors and other concerned citizens, have been vocally against the proposal since inception and encourage residents to tune into the meeting (you can read their full submission here).
Their submissions highlight conners over:
- Negative impact on native flora and fauna, including flow on impact to Narrabeen Lagoon catchment through waterways in the area.
- Negative impact on Aboriginal culturally significant sites.
- Loss of ‘Sydney’s Green lungs’ with the significant removal of trees.
- Some of the sites are at significant risk of bushfire events.
- Lack of infrastructure planning for the new area including access to public transport.
“We strongly encourage residents to register to either attend or speak, to show the strength of opposition,” the group said.
Environlink will be hosting workshops on Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 7:30pm and Sunday, 8 December 2024 at 11:30am to support individuals to work on their speeches. To register to attend please e-mail them at bushlandguardians@envirolink.net.au.
“This is a crucial and final opportunity for our community to voice our strong concerns and provide feedback before a decision is made,” Wakehurst MP, Michael Regan, said.
“The rezoning proposal threatens 45 football fields of high-value bushland and raises serious concerns about bushfire risk, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental impact. It’s vital that we continue to speak up and ensure the depth of our community opposition is heard loud and clear.
“I believe this development is environmentally reckless, poorly planned, and not in the public interest. We need housing, but it must be done strategically, in locations with appropriate infrastructure – not at the expense of our precious bushland and safety.”
On 29 June 2023, Mr Regan presented a 12,000-signature petition to NSW Parliament calling for a halt to the proposed development scheme around Lizard Rock. Representations to support the campaign to save Lizard Rock bushland were also made by Rory Amon (former Pittwater MP), Matt Cross (Davidson MP) and James Griffin (Manly MP and former Environment Minister).
This is not the first time a proposal to develop Lizard Rock bushland has been floated. In 2006, Warringah Council (before they were amalgamated into Northern Beaches Council) rejected a similar application to rezone and develop this area and the new proposal hasn’t changed Council’s mind.
In September 2023, Northern Beaches Council said, “Council strongly opposes the planning proposal to rezone land along Morgan Road in Belrose to permit development for 450 dwellings for its destruction of natural bushland among a range of other concerns”.
To see more information regarding the Planning Proposal visit:
https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ppr/under-exhibition/patyegarang-morgan-road-belrose
Manly Observer has followed this story since the beginning, for further information, please read our previous articles:
Proposal for 450 new houses on native Northern Beaches bushland (12 March 2022)
Rallies to save Northern Beaches native bushland from developers (16 March 2022)
Lizard Rock development debate on bushfire-prone land heats up (1 December 2022)
Indigenous elders join calls to halt proposed Lizard Rock development (9 January 2023)
Planning panel gives nod to 450 new Belrose homes; minister to decide (7 June 2023)
Parliament fills with Beaches folks as 12,000-person petition presented (3 July 2023)
Environmental campaigners add ‘being annoying’ to protest arsenal (26 April 2024)
