Woolworths wants Port Macquarie crown land car park
Following on from community engagement about the Plaza car park in Port Macquarie, the local council wrote to the NSW Minister for Lands seeking an opportunity to negotiate the sale of the Plaza Car Park site.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council wrote to the NSW Minister for Lands seeking similar terms those given to Woolworths.
The NSW Government then opened an expressions of interest (EOI) process for the site with a very tight deadline.
“It will be very difficult for any company other than Woolworths to meet the deadline for submissions, given the amount of information required for a professional, detailed development design,” said Mayor, Councillor Peter Besseling advised.
“This process has clearly been designed to “tick a box”, for the government to be seen to meet a commitment to the community. It is not designed to get the best possible development outcome for the foreshore and is a token effort at best.”
“When the previous Labor government rammed through mining decisions just prior to the last state election, there was outrage.
"Now this (Liberal) government is trying to do exactly the same thing with our public foreshore.”
“Council intends to put forward an expression of interest, to keep the foreshore in public hands and to make sure that the community wishes to see a pedestrian friendly, interactive, commercial space that caters for parking are met,” said Councillor Besseling.
It has been especially galling that the Plaza car park reserve is Crown Lands for which council is the current trust manager.
In 2010 a Foreshore Master Plan was developed which included this site.
Following significant community engagement, a draft Plan of Management was sent to the Minister for approval and placed on public exhibition but was not adopted.
The plan was changed and again placed on public exhibition by the State Government in March 2012.
Community concern has been expressed that a supermarket development on the land may not be the best and highest use of this important site.