Protecting public land – Wyargine Reserve.
Above: Unmade Stanton Road.
ABOVE: A MPBA flyer illustrated the devastating effects of a proposed development for a driveway across Unmade Stanton Road.
The battle for land adjoining Wyargine Reserve where a 20 year war was waged was a saga. The land was in fact an Unmade Road (Unmade Stanton Road) on which a resident wished to build a private road to give a second access to his property. The first application was made in 1993, and further applications were made in 1995 and 1997. There were public meetings and opposition all the way and the applications were refused. In 1998 there was a new Local Environment Plan (LEP) which gave the main Wyargine Reserve and the adjoining Unmade Stanton Road a zoning of Environment Protected Bushland. Supporters of public land believed the land was saved. The resident did in fact, apply for the road again in 2004, but it was refused.
BUT!! In 2012 there was a new LEP. This Plan zoned the main part of Wyargine Reserve as Environment Protected Bushland, but it gave the adjoining Unmade Stanton Road a zoning of Public Recreation, and on Public Recreation zoned land a road may be built under certain circumstances.
The battle was on again.
Yet another development application was made. Again it was opposed by the public.
The newly elected mayor, Peter Abelson, took a decision that applications for development on public land would be decided by councillors. The application was refused and then the matter was taken to the Land & Environment Court.
The court decides.
Finally it was settled, the judge deciding that the driveway was inconsistent with enjoyment of the land as public open space and that Unmade Stanton Road “offers passive recreation with sufficient attraction to warrant volunteer bushcare groups participating in its management as has happened” and his appreciation “that the bushland characteristics of that land are not only capable of improvement but are likely to improve.”
Outcomes.
MPBA took on the responsibility of ensuring that those bushland characteristics were improved. A Bush regeneration group was formed and is continues to work on the site.
The Unmade Road and others with bushland characteristics were rezoned to give them greater protection