In two petitions to the NSW Legislative Council, to be tabled in parliament Sue Higginson MLC on February 6, Yamba residents have demanded stop work orders at two proposed local development sites, citing unacceptable and unknown new flood risks and irreversible native species loss.

The petitions regarding proposed development at 52-54 Miles Street, and 120 Carrs Drive, have each been signed by over 500 concerned residents and meet the threshold of

signatories that require an official response from the NSW Minister for Planning, Paul Scully.

Greens MP and spokesperson for planning and environment Sue Higginson said the petitions were a result of gutsy and urgent community organising.

“Tearing down bushland and filling and burying complex wetland ecosystems is criminal in the face of the catastrophic impacts of climate change,” she said.

“The community is rightly concerned that developers are taking advantage of our broken planning laws so that they can make a profit.

“To make matters worse this is development for housing, it is incomprehensible that after the floods we have been through in the northern rivers we could even contemplate putting more people in homes on these extremely low-lying floodplains.

“It is dangerous and will have harmful impacts on people, property and the natural environment.”

Mrs Higginson called for a serious investigation into current planning laws and a scientific based approach to future developments.

“Our planning system is currently not fit for purpose, and it is putting developers profits above local communities, their safety and our fragile coastal environments,” she said.

“We need to have a scientific, long term and strategic approach to land use on floodplains and at the moment, in Yamba, it is the community leading this charge calling to rezone this land for community recreation and biodiversity conservation.

“We now need the Minns Government to take the reins and stop these dangerous developments.”