Newcastle Herald.

Residents point finger at Tomalpin road plan

Paul Maguire 16/09/2002

THE main arterial road through the controversial Tomalpin industrial subdivision may be approved without adequate environmental assessment, according to a group of Lower Hunter residents.

Friends of Tumblebee spokesman James Ryan called yesterday for the road's development application to be withdrawn as it had been lodged with Cessnock City Council before the council completed environmental plans for the site.

The 860ha Cessnock area proposal is the biggest subdivision of its kind in the State. Environmental management plans for air quality, energy, water, habitat, lighting, noise, urban design and transport had to be adopted by the council within six months of the site being rezoned.

Mr Ryan said that as the land was rezoned on March 28 it was now impossible for the council to adopt the plans before the six-month deadline in 12 days. `Environmental plans have to be exhibited for public comment for 28 days and the comments assessed before they can be adopted,' he said.

Council spokesman Neil Selmon said the environmental plans were scheduled to be exhibited for 28 days for public comment from this Wednesday. The arterial road development application was expected to be exhibited for comment from Wednesday, September 25, he said. A spokesman for development company Hardie Holdings, Matt Somers, said the environmental plans applied to the industrial use of the site, not infrastructure items.