Tathra River Estate

May 8, 2008: Bega Valley Shire Council has reaffirmed its position that development of up to 300 dwellings on Stage 2 of the Tathra River Estate would be inappropriate.

The matter was raised as a notice of motion at an extraordinary Council meeting on Tuesday by Crs Fraser Buchanan and Keith Hughes who wanted Council to "reinforce its position of not supporting more than 120 dwellings" on the development, but the motion was lost.

Cr John Aveyard then moved that Council "reinforces its recognition and concern for the environment of the Bega River Estuary and reinforces its intention of fully taking this into account, including the recommendations of the Bega Estuary Management Plan, when assessing the planning reports currently being prepared".

This was amended by Cr Hughes to include that "Council believes the recommendation by the Expert Panel for the development of up to 300 dwellings would be more than twice what that land could appropriately be developed".

That amendment was also lost.

Eventually, it was resolved on the motion of Crs Hughes and Aveyard that:

"In respect of Tathra River Estate Stage 2, the Council reinforces its recognition and concern for the environment of the Bega River Estuary, and that Council believes the recommendation by the Expert Panel for the development of up to 300 dwellings may be more than four times what that land could appropriately accommodate and reinforces its intention of fully taking this into account, including the recommendations of the Bega Estuary Management Plan, when assessing the planning reports currently being prepared."

This was carried unanimously by the councillors present.

Crs Allen and Skitt were absent from the meeting with apologies. Cr Taylor declared a pecuniary interest on the basis that a relative owns property at Tathra River Estate and left the chamber during the debate and voting.