Again we see a developer pursuing court action against the Hunter's two largest councils in order to progress plans for new housing projects in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie (Developer takes councils to court over DA delays, NH 24/1).
The developer maintains that, with his more than half a century of development experience to draw on, the inability of local government planners and their managers to assess and determine housing projects has reached an all-time low.
As a result, the developer says, the region's targets for new houses are falling further behind where they need to be.
However, if we look at the issue from the perspective of the best outcome for the environment and the communities of the Hunter, we will come to a more balanced opinion.
Strategic planners in the Hunter mainly agree that there are valid reasons for further evaluating developers' wish lists.
For a start, most developers are there for financial reasons, this is, to make profits.
Add to this the loss of biodiversity and amenity for communities across the region we can see reasons not to rush ahead with all developments and resist the push to hurry for the sake of profits.
We have seen progressive loss of both biodiversity and amenity in many areas, with resultant loss of Ecologically Endangered Communities of tree cover, as well as more animals and birds pushed to the limits nearing extinction.
It is common knowledge that many developments that have been held up are subject to constraints that have no easy fix, especially if we want to ensure the resulting development remains stable in the wake of changing weather patterns, such as heavier rainfall, worse droughts and is bushfire safe.
It is also common knowledge that many developers do, or have, engaged in land banking, that is sitting on land that has been rezoned until it is deemed the developer will get the maximum financial return at a certain time.
FURTHER READING
Hunter rail corridors should be saved for future transport
That drives the real timetable, not the need for housing for the community.
An issue that works hand in hand with development of land for residential housing is that of public transport in and around the Hunter.
Hunter Environment Lobby has been advocating for the development of public transport corridors in the mid and Lower Hunter for decades and is pleased to see some ideas have been percolating through agency thinking.
As the community recognises, development of land for housing is but one, albeit important, element of creating housing communities that have resilience and are sought after for their "livability".
How to get to and from work, play, medical facilities, shops and family is another important element - and with climate change relentlessly showing us we must take notice of our emissions - mass public transport is becoming the important element if deserves.
Hunter Environment Lobby has promoted its Hunter LinkRail Project for many years, and it is becoming imperative that government agencies decide whether they will pick a winning outcome and look seriously at building a rail link between Glendale, Kurri Kurri and Maitland, which will have a link to Cessnock again.
The populations of Newcastle west, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri, not to mention Maitland, are still growing exponentially, and will reach mind-boggling numbers in the next 10 years.
It was great to see that recognised when talking about the extension of electric rail services to Maitland and a train service to Cessnock were among "key initiatives" in the draft Hunter Regional Transport Plan released in October 2022, according to the Maitland Mercury.
Among the ideas listed with a timeframe of up to 10 years were undertaking a feasibility study looking at opportunities to better align the growth areas in the local government areas of Maitland, Wallsend, Newcastle, and Cessnock, with a focus on the rail corridors.
Also under investigation will be Cessnock to Newcastle rail services via Kurri Kurri, according to this plan. Hunter Environment Lobby says "bring it on".
