NSW Coalition supporting Kiama council to unlock infrastructure funding
Mark Speakman
NSW Liberal Leader
NSW Leader of the Opposition
The NSW Coalition supports Kiama Municipal Council’s call on the Minns Labor Government to lift a restrictive covenant over the Council’s extensive Spring Creek land holdings, which would mean an enormous boost in the Council’s ability to limit rate rises and to fund local infrastructure.
NSW Liberal Leader Mark Speakman said when the Council entered into a Deed of Agreement in 1991 with the then-State Rail Authority (now Transport Asset Manager), the covenant prohibited urban development around the quarry until quarrying activities cease or until 30 June 2006, whichever is the last to occur.
“We understand that those quarrying activities are now nearing completion,” Mr Speakman said.
“The Minns Labor Government needs to come to the table and lift the restrictive covenant on Spring Creek immediately and take up the Council’s offer of an easement instead.”.
The same covenant was recently extinguished over land at Glennbrook Drive, replaced by an easement which notified all future owners of quarrying activities and reducing liability on the operators of the quarry.
“This would give Kiama Municipal Council the ability to put this land to use for the benefit of its community,” Mr Speakman said.
“If a NSW Coalition Government is elected and the covenant is still in place we would quickly move to lift it. Of course, any future use of the Spring Creek land holdings would be best determined by Council working in consultation with its community.”
Liberal for Kiama Serena Copley said that freeing up this land would allow the Kiama Council to deliver many tens of millions of infrastructure projects that benefit the community while easing the burden on ratepayers.
“As has been the case multiple times across NSW, the only thing standing in the way of progress in our state is the Minns Labor Government,” Ms Copley said.
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