kate washington, NSW minister for communities visits north arm cove

On 9 November 2024, Kate Washington, NSW Minister for Family & Communities set up a mobile office at North Arm Cove. One of our North Arm Cove Ratepayer Association committee members, Mike New, presented a letter to Kate on behalf of its members titled "7 Reasons for Optimism at North Arm Cove". You can read a copy of the letter NACRPA presented to Kate below.
Mike spoke to Kate for about 10 minutes, and explained that we need her support as we move forward to reaching a fair decision for the non-urban owners within the NAC Paper Subdivision. Mike highlighted that private non-urban lots make up over 80% of the total private properties in NAC and that many landowners have 'registered to vote' in the elections as non-residents. 

7 Reasons for Optimism at North Arm Cove.

7 November 2024
 
 North Arm Cove Ratepayers Association
nacrpa@gmail.com
www.northarmcove.org.au
 
Kate Washington MP
Minister for Families and Communities
Member for Port Stephens
portstephens@parliament.nsw.gov.au
 
7 Reasons for Optimism at North Arm Cove
 
Dear Kate,
 
With over 80% of the voting base at North Arm Cove consisting of non-urban landowners, we would like the
opportunity to explain why our Association remains optimistic about the future. It’s easy to think that nothing is ever going to change for non-urban landowners at North Arm Cove, however, we have identified seven (7) valid reasons that support a development solution for the 2,500 ratepayers who haven’t thrown in the towel and hold on to their modest dream of building on their block of land.
 
1. In March this year, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, State Government, directed MidCoast Council through its Gateway Determination Report, NOT to down-zone North Arm Cove non-urban lots to Environmental Management (the recommendation in their Draft Rural Strategy), but instead to C4 Environmental Living, with 5-hectare minimum lot size for development. Yes, 5 hectares is a greater lot size than most of us have, but it leaves the door open for future consideration.The new C4 Environmental Living zoning also means that Council will need to find a solution for services for this type of development, solving historical land use issues at North Arm Cove such as sewer and water reticulation.
 
2. The North Arm Cove Paper-Subdivision was specifically mentioned in the Hunter Regional Plan 2041. This is significant because for the first time ever, the State Government is exerting its power over Local Government to find a resolution with the long-held issues surrounding development of Paper Subdivisions.

3. Now shout this to the rooftops…THERE IS A PATHWAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PAPER-SUBDIVISIONS LIKE OURS AT NORTH ARM COVE…and it goes like this...

• a Development Plan is submitted to the NSW State Government
• the State Government appoints a subdivision authority to manage the Process
• a Ballot is sent to all non-urban landowners
• for a Development Plan to go ahead...60% of landowners need to vote YES and 60% of the land area needs to be included.

 
4. There is not ONE 1 but TWO 2 entities currently working on a Development Solution for North Arm Cove;
1. Firstly, there is Dejan and Tatjana who have been very active leading their Initiative Project. Their plan involves honouring the Walter Burley Griffin subdivision layout, creating a Cooperative and obtaining funding to underwrite a Development Plan.
 
2. Secondly, we have a private company called Alathan P/L, who historically own most of the road network at NAC. Consequently, as the third largest landowner at North Arm Cove, Alathan P/L are in the process of undertaking the studies required to address Council’s constraints e.g. for bushfire and biodiversity assessments, and will ultimately put forward a Development Proposal to the State Government. 

5. The Housing Crisis is now a political battlefield, with both sides finding ways to accommodate new housing projects. NAC is on the northern tip of the fastest growing region in NSW and is 30 mins from an expanding airport which will require hundreds of new workers. The Federal Liberal Party released a policy recently that secures $5Billion to pay for Infrastructure such as Sewer and Power and Roads in order to release new supply for the fastest growth areas of Australia. Albanese fired back saying they will spend more!! Never in our history has new land supply been front and centre for the voting public.

6. MidCoast Council have advised that they will support any project that will not cost them anything. How could they refuse the unlocking of 3,000 upgraded land rates fees which are based on valuation from a rezoned land subdivision?

•   2,500 lots (ratepayers) x $400 annual rates per year = $1,000,000 annual revenue for Council.

If developed...

•   2,500 lots x $2,800 annual rates per year = $7,000,000 annual revenue for Council.

As long as the biodiversity and bushfire issues are dealt with, the economic development opportunity at North Arm Cove is many, many millions...you can read more on our website about the ​Development Potential of North Arm Cove
 
7. The NAC Paper Subdivision is a great opportunity to take a different look at the planning principles currently in place. The State Planning Authority should be presented with a new strategy of creating a community that is basedon a carbon neutral, circular economy, which immerses itself within nature and, resulting in the attraction of interest from around Australia and beyond.
 
So, for these 7 reasons our Association continues to try and seek other non-urban owners out and advocate for the 2,500 of us who have been excluded and placed in the ‘too hard basket’.

Yes, at times it seems like a race to the moon…but at least there is a race!
 
Thank you for your time and coming to visit North Arm Cove. In comprising over 80% of voters in North Arm
Cove, the non-urban landowners believe their voices are important, which is why this letter is hand delivered to you today.
 
Kind Regards,

David Buxton

David Buxton
President, NACRPA
nacrpa@gmail.com

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