West Culburra Mixed Use Subdivision

I strongly object to this project. The environmental impacts will be dire to our lake and beaches. The economic benefits that have been reported by developers are complete lies. Our local politicians are not listening to the people.

I object to this development as it is completely unnecessary for the community.

Firstly a majority of the houses will most likely be holiday homes like the rest of Culburra. This won’t help businesses at all

Secondly the amount of bush land that will need to be cut down destroying habitats for many helpless animals is devastating.

And thirdly our current roads don’t have the capacity to handle so much more traffic. They’re falling apart as it is!



End

I object to the development as I don't think we should cut down trees and destroy native habitats for a project that we don't need and that has had so much community outcry over. Leave Culburra alone, don't let it become another Byron.

Environmentally damaging..to native, animals, estuary,
Road &infrastructure for Culburra already inadequate
Unused retail space in Culburra
Will not improve housing affordability in area

I do not support this project. It is not beneficial for the general area.

The town doesn't have the infrastructure to cope with a new housing development nor the roads to cope with more traffic. In an emergency where the town needs to be evacuated like the bush fires of 2019, I can only imagine the outcome if this development was in existence when it happened. We lost enough flora and fauna that the bush is still recovering from only for it all to be torn down and leaving many animals homeless and wandering the suburban streets under threat from domesticated animals.

-This land is in the 20% of the Shoalhaven region that was not damaged by bushfires, making it especially important as our wildlife tries to recover.
- The land is rich in Indigenous history. The Local Jerringa Tribe moved throughout the area on both sides of Curley's Bay not just where the land claim was made in Roseby Park.
- Native wildlife flourishes in this area.
- Culburra has too much retail space – 1.78x accepted the normal for a regional town
- The West Culburra Development proposal includes an increase of 2,438 square metres of retail space according to its applicaton.
- It includes assumptions for employment and GRP (gross regional product) from this retail expansion in its economic justification for the development
- It makes no provision for the negative effect this will have on existing businesses in its numbers.
- The net effect is Culburra Beach will have an even higher proportion of excess retail capacity than it did before the West Culburra Development – 1.93x the accepted normal standard for a regional town.
-This development sets the retail precinct up for future failure not success.
- An extra 900 residents will not generate sufficient nor efficient sustainable business for retail and restaurants as Culburra Beach survives on seasonal tourism.

To.

The Director Of
Planning And Assessment
Department Of Planning, Industry And Environment
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124

RE:
State Significant Developement Application
West Culburra Concept Proposal
Application Number SSD3846 As Amended.
Applicant – Sealark Pty Ltd
Council Area - Shoalhaven

Monday 22 February 2021


Dear Sir.

Written Objection to the above-mentioned development application (SSD3846)

I wish to strongly object to the above-mentioned development for the following reasons.

1. The township of Culburra Beach is unable to cope with a new influx of tourists or potential permanent residents.

2. The development is unlikely to ever provide new jobs for the residents of Culburra Beach.
As in all cases of this kind, the labor for building and maintaining is already contracted from elsewhere.

3. The proposed site of the development is adjacent to, and will severely interfere with significant and essential fish hatchery areas in the adjacent mangrove swamps aligning the river.

4. the development is in a region which is inclusive and adjacent to “old grown forests” which are on a serious decline in the Shoalhaven region, and are listed under a national act of Protection.

5. Myriad endangered species of plants, birds and animals have already been reported to be living in and immediately effected by the area of the development.

6. if the development proceeds in it’s tabled form, it will be in direct infringement of common law, in that it will damage and remove “endangered native species” habitat.

7. there is already a great deal of evidence that rigorous anthropological study of the region is required as a result of recent and on-going discoveries of aboriginal artifacts adjacent to the area of Culburra Beach, and it’s surrounds.
The Developer should be required to have a detailed report of any aboriginal heritage interfered with, and any artifacts discovered and moved.

8. Any infringement on the foreshores of the water-way will have a Knock-On effect to the health status of the local oyster farms in the bay, and will impact directly upon health status of aquatic species diversity, and health rick to humans through secondary pollution of the waterways and edible fish living therein.

9. As the development is adjacent to the shores of the water course, an environmental impact statement should immediately be required.

10. The impact on fisheries and oyster farms will seriously diminish the “attractiveness” of Culburra Beach as a tourist destination as a whole, and bears a great threat to the local economy of Culburra Beach as a contributing community to the Shoalhaven landscape.

11. All fishermen, tourist and local resident alike, will be forced to go further afield to find fishing spots which have not been directly interfered with by increased human traffic or the polluting influence of mankind. This will likely force these fishermen to seek further afield into previously un-fished areas, or indeed into “fishing prohibited” zones of the local fore-shores.

12. No buffer zones have been drawn on the plans for the development to lessen the impact to the adjacent forest and wetlands region. This behaviour by developers is always the case. Perhaps a method of “sighting” from the edge of the trees. EG. To look at the farthest tree you can see through the forest, and state that “that is as close as the animals will ever come to this area now because of noise and disturbance.”

13. It is apparent that the larger part of the development lies directly on the water line. This activity ignores ALL of the current reporting that ocean levels are rising. This will mean that reparations for future damage to the entire development by flooding will be borne by the “buyers” of the properties, and will be overseen by Shoalhaven council at great expense.

14. Will the developer be “required” to inform prospective estate agents, and their clients that their homes will more than likely be underwater in Seven years?

15. The proposed round-a-bout on the Culburra Beach Highway, will serve to slow down traffic to and from Culburra Beach, and will introduce a “nuisance factor” to current residents of Culburra Beach.
Also adding another potential “Accident zone” to the highway which is not designed for heavy vehicles. The Roundabout will prove to be a costly enterprise to install. Who will bear this cost?

16. The approach road to Culburra Beach which has a portion shared by residents of “Orient Point Community” is narrow and marginal. A great many incidents of speeding have been seen on this narrow road, and a great many portions of the approach road are enveloped in morning mist. The dangers to motor vehicles will be increased by the subsequent increase in traffic, and endangerment to property and livestock will ensue.
This activity will place greater strain on an already over-used roadway, and will require immediate upgrades to the road surface and adjacent embankments to meet the increased demand. These upgrades will become a requirement when the statistics of road use are reported to the Department of Roads by their yearly investigations, and will require that the roads be widened. This activity will place further delays on traffic into Culburra Beach through the upgrade period, increasing accident likelihood, and placing further burdens upon an already over-used single lane country roadway.

16. The building of the development will require a myriad of “large” vehicles to be using the highway into Culburra. These heavier vehicles will immediately cause damage to the surface of the road, and will require that the road be maintained yet again. This activity will take time, and interfere with traffic conditions into Culburra Beach, and will once again prove to be of great cost. Will the Developer be paying for the ongoing damage to the highway?

17. Building of the site will create great noise. What measures have been taken to minimize noise disturbance to the local community of Culburra Beach and indeed to the birds and animals living in the area?

18. the inclusion of so many new houses will mean a knock-on introduction of domesticated animals in particular cats and dogs. Both of these species are extremely harmful and damaging to Australian Native Flora and Fauna.
Australian fauna is ill equipped to deal with predatory animals as the only species in NSW prior to European settlement was the spotted quoll and the dingo. These animals have always been scarce and rare.
The male domestic cat can have a hunting range of Seven Miles (11.2654 Km). And this includes the ability to climb trees, and to enter wombat holes. It is also known that the domestic cat will hunt for sport or “training” and will often leave the prey injured or dead, but not eaten.
It is well known that in every case, residents of new areas are unfamiliar with the impact that they – or quite simply, their animals, might have on the broader adjacent region.

19. Local facilities at Culburra Beach for emergency services are hard put to cope with circumstances as they are at present. There is certainly an ambulance service which caters to Culburra Beach as it is now.

20. Police services at Culburra Beach are difficult to describe, except for the fact that there seems at present to be little or no representation at all.
The reason for this apparent shortfall is due to severe monetary and staffing restrictions on the NSW police force in the current political climate.
So as far as I can see there is a police station here, but I have never seen it manned. This situation is going to be exacerbated by an increase in population, and will most certainly be brought to criticality during the holiday seasons when the population of Culburra Beach can increase exponentially overnight.
Wikipedia reports Culburra Beach as having a permanent residency of 2,874 souls.
This number can increase overnight to 60,000 souls on the first day of school holidays.
It is immediately apparent that the local facilities, and indeed the local environment would be hard pushed to cope with any additional population increase during school holidays.

21. it is all very well to say that holiday makers bring in a contribution of money spent in the region, however, this input of funds has not been measured against the increase of traffic, both pedestrian and motor vehicle, the increase of damage to the area, by those who do not live here and thus show somewhat less concern over the welfare of local wildlife, and for the region as a whole, and the measurable increase in crime rate during these periods.
Some of these points may only seem to bear relevance to the increase during tourist seasons, however if the population number is increased, then the same factors can be brought to bear on the increased population overall, and the doubly increased population that will occur over the holiday periods.

22. Culburra Beach is attractive to a small community of people who know about it, and the reason for it’s “lure” is that
1. Culburra is quiet
2. Culburra is a safe and pleasant community of known individuals.
3. Culburra is surrounded by Australian Native Bush, with a frequent chance of seeing native animals living quietly in their appropriate habitat.
4. Culburra is a place where you do NOT have to line up for groceries, or a cup of coffee.
5. Culburra is a place where you do not need to overly worry that your house will be broken into during your absence.

These factors will change in one single instance if the West Culburra Beach development proceeds.
Therefore I oppose the proposed development thoroughly, and would urge Shoalhaven Council to do the same.

I object to the destruction of hactares of native bushland that would displace and endanger wildlife.
This development would also endanger the adjacent wetlands and its marine life.
I don't believe this development would benefit local retail. I believe, with the inclusion of more retail space in the new development, it would lead to an oversupply of commercial space which would lead to more vacant shops and put pressure on already established local businesses.
This development with its small blocks, narrow roads and medium to high density housing does not fit with the established community.
The inclusion of roundabouts on the main road has a potential to cause congestion and hinder evacuation efforts in the event of another fire event.
This development will see overpriced big houses on small blocks and will drive up local house prices as has been the case with the developments at Vincentia.
I believe this development will pave the way for further development to the west, leading to the destruction of more bushland and endangering more wildlife and delicate ecosystems.

I feel this development is on very sensitive land and will have a huge impact on the environment locally. It is out of character with the rest of Culburra and it’s not in culburra’s best interests.

Please see attached.

Clearing 47 hectares of native vegetation would have a devastating effect on wildlife habitat, particularly as a result of the huge loss in the Shoalhaven following last years fires. The coastal forest environment demands protection, not destruction.
An holistic approach is necessary for Culburra development, and in fact the region.
Sensitive development, taking into account consideration for population growth, and supporting tourism and fishing industry, must be undertaken.

The proposed development of west Culburra beach is far too intensive and above the needs of the local community.
I give the following reasons.
The block sizes are far too small and will result in a Mc mansion development on pristine land.
The water flow from this development will affect the pristine waters of Curleys bay and Lake Wollumboola. Both significant areas -Curleys bay as a fragile oyster growing enterprise which supports numerous local families where any detrimental runoff which cannot be prevented from such an intensive development will more than likely result in the destruction of this industry.
Lake wollumboola a heritage site and breeding ground for an amazing variety of birds.Can we afford to risk the inevitable pollution of this important area from water table pollution and stormwater runoff.
Whilst local businesses may receive greater income from increased local population it will be to the detriment of the current ambience of the area which will defile the current beauty of the area.
The proposed area behind the ambulance station is not clarified as to its purpose.
The proposal to build multi storey housing on the approach to the town is both unclear as to how many storeys these developments will be and will irretrievably affect the beauty of this area.
Again my objection is the density of this proposal.
Whilst the previous application was rejected on points I have raised the current application has only reduced the number of stages applied for. This leaves the door open for further stages to be pushed for in the future.
Culburra Beach is the first Beach hamlet south of Sydney which has not succumbed to overdevelopment .As a child growing up in Wollongong I spent many a Sunday picnicking at Kiama, Gerroa ,Shellharbour,and holidaying at Culburra beach.These areas are no longer recognizable. Now as I travel from Sydney to Culburra I am saddened by the overdevelopment and Mc Mansions which litter the landscape.
I appreciate that the landowners have a right to develop but as most properties in Culburra are at least 700msq this should be the minimum block size and no development should be allowed where runoff will affect the aquifers.
There is no apparent need for further sporting ovals which will inevitably require artificial fertilization and monetary input from the Shoalhaven council ultimately us the ratepayers.
Then.
Road access to Culburra a single carriage way which floods at times,the area at risk of fire evacuation. Not enough parking already at the beaches.
Progress must be proportional and the current proposal is far above what can be considered acceptable both for the current community, people who want to enjoy a seaside escape and future residents of the inevitable development of this area..
Let’s all make this a safe,ecologically sound expansion where all stakeholder benefit from sound ecological and socially acceptable progress.The current proposal is so intense it will irrevocably change the nature of Culburra beach to its detriment.
With respect please hear my input.
Wendy Campbell

I object to much of this development on a number of grounds.
Firstly, the proposed development fronts onto the Crookhaven River which is recognised as a significant wetland protection area. There are potential water quality issues. A ‘natural’ system is proposed to recycle water to remove nutrients and put the water back into the groundwater recharge. While these systems may work on manufactured waterway developments, the Crookhaven catchment is a pristine natural waterway. Increased flood events and east coast low activity in the area make this a dangerous measure to be considering.

This tract of forest escaped the Forest Road fire – it came within nine kilometres of Culburra Beach town – and the surviving habitat has become a refuge for many threatened species, the Powerful Owl and Glossy Black Cockatoo both since returning to the area.

I object to the proposed character and scale of the high-density residential development north of Culburra Road, west of Canal Street including 11 metre building heights and the existing commercial area and the scale of the proposed Industrial areas.

In summary, I believe that this proposal represents excessive development. It is likely to degrade Aboriginal cultural heritage and the Culburra Beach environment, particularly the Crookhaven Catchment coastal forest, wetland, river and Curley’s Bay.

I am writing in favour of the West Culburra development. I believe that the concept plan has been
well planned, and will be a great benefit to Culburra Beach and the Shoalhaven as a whole.
I love my town and have served in the Culburra Rural Fire Service and Nowra/Culburra Surf Lifesaving club for quite sometime now. However i strongly believe that the town requires development to bring in more residents.
I have a young family and at the moment have trouble purchasing due to the high demand of Sydney buyers buying houses unseen for holiday homes. I know the development may not fix this problem but I strongly believe it will have an influence to make it better for locals and more full time residents.
I believe the proposal supports new parks and sporting fields which i believe will be an asset to Culburra Beach. I would love to see possibly a synthetic (All weather) hockey field as there is already soccer and rugby as this would be great for Culburra Beach as a town as i believe there is only one in the Shoalhaven currently. However any new sporting complexes would be of benefit for the the younger generations coming through.
I know with model world that the new houses would be built with Ecologically Sustainable ides of raintanks, solar panels and much more which will help with the environmental impact.
Lastly i believe economically this will be of great benefit to the community and Shoalhaven area over a long period of time.
As a young family and member of multiple community groups i love our town as it is but know that it is time to move forward. If we want our town to continue to survive and grow. With new families coming to live in and our kids able to find local jobs within the area.
I support the West Culburra Development.

I am a property owner in Culburra and would like to strongly object to the proposed West Culburra Subdivision for the following reasons;
- destruction of over 70 ha of forest that is home to unique flora and fauna
- resulting loss of habitat for threatened species including the Powerful Owl and Eastern Freetail Bat amongst many threatened forest species
- potential harm to pristine surrounding waterways that could again impact habitats, shell fish harvesters and ocean species
- potential detrimental impact on habitat corridors
- potential harm to sites of Aboriginal significance
- destruction of Culburra's character as a peaceful coastal village
- loosing this character would result in reduced visitation by tourists and reduced quality of life for residents and visitors
- there are many more suitable alternatives for this kind of development in Nowra that would not have the above detrimental impacts
- this kind of development is unlikely to support the economy of the town in that many people will shop etc in Nowra anyway
- in this age of climate change and the destruction of native habitats by fire and development - it seems archaic and backward thinking to destroy this valuable natural asset
I oppose this development entirely and would like to see this and recognised as a high conservation are and zoned and protected as such.

I am a resident of Culburra Beach and came here 25 years ago. When I first arrived I was stunned by the beauty that surrounded me. Over these years I have seen a slow growth of the permanent population and an increase in visitors. A wonderful seaside village which I hope can be maintained and not become overpopulated or overdeveloped. This is the reason I am OBJECTING to this proposal.
Have we learnt nothing! The destruction of bush lands, vulnerable wetlands, water ways, and habitat which we can never get back! Also I feel that that the indigenous significance of this land may not have been taken seriously. We experienced the worst bush fires, causing damage to areas that may never recover with the terrible toll on our native animals. The environment is at stake, this bush land is precious.
The infrastructure of the town is low key and I believe is not meant for a large population. The proposal would put added pressure on existing services as well (especially medical).
Any increase in the number of vehicles on our two lane roads would also create problems especially in times of emergencies.
The actual design is so predictable and lacking in any imagination. Let's make decisions based on AMENITY, LOCATION and NEED.
So looking at this proposal and given everything I have seen in the name of "progress" I definitely cannot see this development adding to the prosperity of this town.
Thank you for your time.

My name is Brian Muller and I am a property owner at Culburra Beach. I support the West Culburra Mixed Use Subdivision proposal on the following grounds.

The proposal shows smaller Integrated Housing lots immediately west of the current township and close to the existing shopping centre. As residents of Culburra Beach and Orient Point grow older, they look to "down size" by selling their existing properties on larger lots and moving to smaller, more manageable building lots which are low maintenance. People generally prefer to do this rather than moving to a retirement village situation. The lots in this proposal are ideally suited for this purpose and are situated close to existing facilities such as medical services and shops.

The previous proposal received numerous objections from people concerned about stormwater run off into Lake Wollumboola. The current proposal addresses these concerns and there is now almost no development in the catchment area for Lake Wollumboola. The Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy in this area also shows neutral or beneficial effect on the downstream water quality which also alleviates those concerns.

Downstream water quality is protected by this Best Practice Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy. The proposal shows large setbacks from the foreshore areas, large water storage facilities with an extensive treatment train for water quality protection and again results in a neutral or beneficial effect outcome. This will provide protection for the coastal wetlands and oyster growing areas.

The current proposal shows a very high level of Ecologically Sustainable Development outcomes. The energy efficiency rating (NatHERS) shows a target of 7 which is substantially higher than the normal amount. This is provided in part by having solar panels on houses constructed on every lot and larger rainwater tanks being installed.

The current proposal also addresses issues about Aboriginal Heritage concerns with the conservation of these areas being a priority. It provides an opportunity for preservation of several sites that might normally disappear over the coming years if left neglected. It also provides a large amount of open space recreation areas including parks and playing fields along with substantial woodland areas.

The area identified by this proposal is part of Shoalhaven City Councils Growth Management Strategy which is supported by the NSW Government's Illawarra Shoalhaven Regional Plan 2036. A recent Shoalhaven City Council meeting endorsed the support of Council for this current proposal.

The standard residential component of the current proposal will provide a much needed boost in the supply of residential land in the Culburra Beach area. There have been no substantial new land subdivisions for many decades meaning that supply has been greatly outstripped by demand putting enormous pressure on availability and price. The ability for younger people (who have grown up in the area and wish to stay here) to purchase property has been seriously compromised by affordability getting out of control. The last recorded vacant residential land sales in Culburra Beach have been $469,000 and $645,000 which is extremely high for a regional area.

For the above reasons, I strongly support the approval of the West Culburra Mixed Use Subdivision.

I object to this proposal on the basis that it will destroy the village nature of Culburra Beach, turning it into yet another characterless costal suburb and in the process will destroy hectares of wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. Culburra is a holiday destination where tourists come to enjoy the beautiful relaxed environment and village atmosphere that differentiates it from the thousands of over developed coastal settlements to our north, that continue unabated well north of Sydney. The future of Culburra lies in preserving its uniqueness.

The NSW Government's South Coast Regional Strategy 2006-31 is supposed to be the pre-eminent planning document for the South Coast region. Its primary purpose is to ensure that adequate land is available and appropriately located to sustainably accommodate the projected housing and employment needs of the Region’s population. To ensure that the region's "Environmental assets, rural character and pristine ecosystems are retained", this Strategy focusses on restricting new residential development to our region in existing centres including Nowra, Huskisson and Ulladulla.
This development proposal appears to be totally inconsistent with the South Coast Regional Strategy’s key aims, including:
1. Protect high value environments including pristine coastal lakes, estuaries, aquifers, threatened species, vegetation communities and habitat corridors by ensuring that no new development occurs in these important areas and their catchments.

The proposed development is in the catchment of Lake Wollumboola and will have a significant impact on it. Lake Wollumboola is home to more than 100 migratory and native bird species and is considered an internationally significant site. The following is an extract from Appendix 2 of the South Coast Regional Strategy “Land within the catchment of Lake Wollumboola is considered unsuitable for urban development, principally on the grounds of the potential negative impacts on the Lake which is a sensitive ICOLL.”


2. Only consider additional development sites if it can be demonstrated that they satisfy the Sustainability Criteria in Appendix 1.

The proposal is inconsistent with several of the Sustainability Criteria, including

Criteria 2: Access. Accessible transport options for efficient and sustainable travel between homes, jobs, services and recreation to be existing or provided. The development is approximately 20 km from Nowra, which is the regional centre for employment, hospital and medical specialists, and secondary school and existing public transport links are poor.

Criteria 5: Avoidance of Risk. Land Use conflicts, and risk to human health and life, avoided. This is another small village with one road in and out. In the case of bushfires or floods, a development of this size will put many more lives at risk. A study of flooding around Lake Wollumboola is underway and the results should be considered in any planned development for this area. (https://flooddata.ses.nsw.gov.au/flood-projects/lake-wollumboola-flood-study)

Criteria 7: Environmental Protection: Protect and Enhance Biodiversity, air quality, heritage and waterway health. Not only would this proposal negatively impact Lake Wollumboola, the clearing of any native vegetation in the Shoalhaven region following last summer’s horrific bushfires is inappropriate. 80% of the Shoalhaven was burnt, so all remaining areas are important refuges for wildlife.

Criteria 8: Quality and Equity in services. Quality health, education, legal, recreational, cultural and community development services are accessible. Residents would need to travel 20km to Nowra to access these services. Services such as Shoalhaven hospital are already at capcity E.G. In 2020, The Illawarra-Shoalhaven region's three major hospitals were all in the top 10 in the state for the longest waiting times in emergency. The hospital system in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven has been described “as on its knees”, with long wait times for elective surgery. https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6684080/wait-times-at-illawarras-three-major-hospital-eds-among-highest-in-state