Food Hub thrown out by Tweed Council

TWENTY MONTHS after it first considered an unprecedented, broadscale ‘Agricultural Food Hub’ on farmland in its coastal hinterland, Tweed Council has recommended the Northern Regional Planning Panel refuse the $72-million Cudgera Creek development largely because of “insufficient information” from developer, Mecone, on critical planning controls.

A damning report released by planning staff last week found the size and scale of the 11-hectare food hub “was not considered appropriate for the rural location.”  Total infrastructure for the development – including 19 industrial sheds of 53,930m2 floor space, roads, 450-car parking lot, bio-retention basin and 3-metre acoustic walls and lighting, would “resemble an industrial park,” it stated.

“The concept application has not demonstrated that this site is suitable for the proposed agricultural food hub which is intended to accommodate multiple businesses,” TSC Assessment Report

The report found insufficient information on the impacts of fill on drainage patterns; water and sewerage management; vehicle access, maneuverability, volumes and size; flood behaviour; potential waterway pollution; impacts on flora, fauna and environmentally sensitive areas; and impacts on current natural and built forms in the area.

The development did not comply with the Tweed LEP 2014 on conservation of the biological diversity, scenic quality and ecological integrity of the Tweed;

“And specifically, it fails to demonstrate that it has considered the protection of koalas and koala habitat.” TSC Assessment Report

The Agricultural Food Hub’s operations were also queried with “insufficient information” provided on which ‘range of gourmet agricultural industries’ exactly would use and benefit from the big facility, now and into the future.

“From the information provided, it appears that the primary proposed future uses are food manufacturing activities. Food manufacturing would be characterised as an industrial activity being a general or light industry as defined by the TLEP 2014. General or light industries are not permissible in the rural zones in which the proposal is located,” TSC Assessment Report states.

An economic feasibility study to justify the food hub was also not provided.

The site’s farmland status was recognised in the report, specifically its zoning as Regionally Significant Farmland by the Northern Rivers Farmland Protection Project (NSW 2005) and that;

“Urban and rural residential development is to be limited on land identified by the project so that areas with the most potential for production are not lost to urban uses.”

No satisfactory response was received by Council planners either relating to state environmental controls on the ecologically significant and sensitive Cudgera Creek estuary, downstream to Hastings Point.

A total of 403 submissions was received by Tweed Council with 400 of those (or 99%) making objections to the proposal.

“The primary matters raised in the submissions related to the appropriateness of the site for the development, traffic and amenity impacts and characterisation of the development as a rural industry when it appears to be an industrial development.” TSC Assessment Report

Stephen Carney, Cudgera Creek Pottsville Protection Alliance Chairman, told The Northern Rivers Times residents of the rural hamlet are “very pleased that Council finally reached the same conclusion as the community,” but the battle is not won yet.

“Refusal by the NRPP is our ultimate objective,” Stephen Carney said.

Mr Carney believed the integrity of local planning policy saw the food hub concept eventually thrown out by Council.

“Local Environmental Planning Policy has been regularly reviewed and updated for 30 years to ensure it reflects the needs and vision of the community. This application fails to meet many of the criteria set out over those years of planning,” Stephen Carney said.

“The TSC Assessment Report states ‘The application has not demonstrated that it is compliant with the objectives of the RU1 and RU2 (Rural) zones’ in which it is located,” he added.

Stephen Carney believes Council’s refusal of the development application will carry “heavy weighting” as the NRPP makes a final decision on the controversial Food Hub in the next 7-days.  The Panel took public submissions via videoconference on Tuesday this week as part of its deliberations.