|
Kolodong Road subdivision approved
|
Approval was given to a staged residential subdivision at Kolodong Road, Taree where 478 residential lots are proposed to be released in 19 stages.
Five submissions were received in relation to the application. The issues raised have been addressed through the conditions of consent.
This site has been identified as an area for urban growth under a number of land-use planning strategies going back to 1990.
Concerns raised by the community included increase in traffic and conflict with adjoining uses of the land.
|
|
Development contribution exemption for Old Bar ambulance station
|
A development application for the construction of an ambulance station on Old Bar Road will be exempt from developer contributions following a decision of the Council.
While the application is still being assessed, the decision was made to exempt the Crown from paying developer contributions as part of the process.
|
|
289 development applications determined in first quarter
|
A quarterly report on our development assessment and building certification activities indicated of the 342 development applications formally lodged, 289 were determined during the July to September period.
Of those, 57 were fast-track applications and were finalised in an average of 13 days.
Applications totalled $88.7 million worth of development in the MidCoast.
Our call centre received 5,809 building and development-related telephone calls during the same period.
Several initiatives are underway to improve development determination times. The most significant in the last few months has been the integration of MC1 and the NSW Planning Portal. The first phase on integration eliminates double-handling and staff no longer need to manually download documents from the portal and input into MC1.
|
|
Focus on the state of the MidCoast economy
|
As one of the five key areas of importance for the community identified in this year’s operational plan, economic development activities are regularly reported to the elected Council.
The quarterly report provides an update on the general state of the MidCoast economy and Council’s recent activities in supporting economic growth.
The report indicated the three largest industries by value added in the MidCoast are:
- Health care and social assistance ($452 million or 17.5%)
- Construction ($350 million or 13.5%)
- Education and training ($206 million of 8%)
Spending figures show that locals continue to spend significant amounts online – with more than $60 million spent online for both July and August.
The Shop MidCoast gift card program saw 41 new cards purchased during July-September and 168 cards redeemed. Several new businesses registered for the vibrant spaces program and several events were supported by the team.
The Reconnecting Regional NSW Community Events Grant, administered by economic development and tourism staff provided funding for 15 events to be hosted across the area between now and March 2023.
The tourism team’s ComeVisit! Program continued and Barrington Coast promotions across social channels continued to be impressive.
|
|
Events and festivals sponsorship
|
Councillors endorsed $39,500 of event sponsorship under round two of the events and festivals sponsorship program.
A total of 18 applications were assessed, with a total request value of $111,100.
The events sponsorship assessment panel of Cr Epov, Smith and Howard met and assessed the applications.
During this process a number of applications were assessed as not matching the objectives of the program. A total of nine applications were successful in receiving funding, including:
- Taree and District Eisteddfod
- Lakeside Music Festival
- Envirofair
- Forster Race Week – three-day paddling competition
- The Viking Challenge soccer tournament
- Manning Valley Kart Club Tri-Class Series
- Tastefest on the Manning
- Twin Towns Tennis Tournament
- Manning Valley Family three day cycling tour
|
|
Annual carbon emissions report
|
Council’s total carbon emissions for 2020-21 have increased on previous years as a direct result of the increase in waste to landfill following the bushfire and flood events that occurred between 2019-2022.
Waste is the biggest contributor to Council’s carbon emissions footprint representing around 80 percent of our total emissions.
Other contributors are electricity and fuel. Fuel emissions have been hard to track accurately given the various systems that have been used, however these have now been consolidated so that will give us a better picture going forward.
Electricity use has decreased by seven per cent over the previous year and 10 per cent since the baseline year. This is due to the installation of solar power on Council’s buildings, the consolidation of one administration centre and a LED streetlighting retrofit program.
We have recently entered into two new electricity contracts to purchase renewable energy which will reduce our electricity emissions. One contract is for all the water and sewer sites.
The implementation of our Climate Change Strategy is now overseen by a Climate Change Project Control Group and we are currently recruiting for a Senior Climate Change and Sustainability Officer who will work with staff across the organisation to implement the strategy and track performance.
|
|
Projects to improve community spaces across the MidCoast
|
A report on the 54 projects currently underway by the Community Spaces team was noted.
These projects range across aquatic facilities, boardwalks, platforms, pathways, cultural facilities, halls, playgrounds, parks, reserves, showgrounds, sporting facilities and community-led projects we are supervising.
During the last month the Bulahdelah showground fencing and cattle shed project has been completed.
|
|
Waste services improvement projects
|
The waste services team are currently delivering 13 projects to improve services and facilities at waste management centres across the MidCoast.
This includes the development of a new landfill cell, green waste storage area and sediment ponds at the Taree Centre. A solar panel installation has also been completed at the Taree centre while planning is underway for a sustainability centre at the Tuncurry centre.
|
|
Focus on activities that support our environment
|
With the environmental values of our region something our community has identified as important to them through our community strategic plan, a report has been implemented to provide oversight on the projects and programs funded by the community through the environmental rate. Projects were reported in the categories of:
Biodiversity and natural assets projects – projects in this area help maintain priority bushland reserves within urban areas. These areas contribute to the liveability of our suburbs by providing character, reducing sprawl and managing biodiversity.
Other projects contribute to the delivery of on-ground actions as part of the MidCoast Biodiversity Framework, Manning River Catchment and Estuary Programs, Karuah River Catchment Plan, Smiths Lake and Wallis Lake Coastal Zone Management Plans.
Catchment, estuary and water quality projects – projects in this area focus on managing our waterways and estuaries through maintaining and improving urban stormwater runoff, restoring degraded areas such as riverbanks and wetlands and working with private landholders to improve catchment water quality.
|
|
Wingham CBD streetscape project
|
An update on the Wingham CBD streetscape project was provided to Councillors. It indicated that early consultation with the Wingham community working party focussed on selecting the footpath treatment for the project, with a patterned concrete footpath the preference.
Consultants Complete Urban has been engaged to undertake the detailed design of the project and has undertaken a survey of the area to enable them to complete the detailed design. Detailed design of the Bent and Farquhar Street intersection has also started, with work programmed to start next month.
|
| Roads, water and wastewater improvement projects underway
|
A report on the major capital works underway in the transport, water and wastewater area provided updates on many of the major projects underway, including:
- Lakes Way/Blackhead Road roundabout – work is continuing with the construction of roundabout and turning lanes, project is now due to finish in November 2022
- Northern Gateway –work is continues on the industrial access road, to be completed in February 2023.
- Cowper Street, Taree – project nearing completion with drainage, pavement and asphalting all completed.
- Waitui Road, Hannam Vale – reconstruction of approximately three kilometres of road, to be completed by November after being impacted by rain.
- The Branch Lane – work soon to start on a 1.3 kilometre extension of the sealed road, with a completion date of January 2023
- Work is underway on five sections of The Bucketts Way, and four sections of the Lakes Way.
- Wingham Road – work underway on several sections of Wingham Road. Work at the intersection with Youngs Road has been delayed due to utility service issues. Preliminary work on three roundabouts at intersections with Hargreaves and Cedar Party Road is underway, with construction expected to finish by May 2023.
- Old Bar Road – Redbank Cemetery to Metz Road, reconstruction and widening of 1.7 kilometres of road. Expected to finish in November.
- Work is underway on many projects to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure across the local government area
- Sewer and water mains renewal projects are also underway at several sites in Harrington, Smiths Lake, Hallidays Point, Hawks Nest, Forster, Manning Point, Taree South, Tuncurry, Stroud, Old Bar, Pacific Palms and more.
|