My submission begins with the question why do we all have to do fresh submissions. Many people in this area believe they have already submitted and due to age and inability to understand, think they did not have to do fresh submissions of support. Added to this is a major influence from opponents of the development which on the surface appears to demonstrate the people here do not support it. In short, a lot of rhetoric has occurred and some vitriol. My opinion based on facts as far as I can gather, shows those who support the development actually do live here in either Culburra Beach or Orient Point. In the social media there appears to be influences coming from those that do not live here. I declare that I am a resident of Culburra Beach with my address being 15B Orient Point Road and have made no contributions to any political party.
My submission to the 2018 plora of activity (I submitted in my Sole Trader name LCR Services) was to question all the so-called potential things that could happen as the objections back then centred around potential this and potential that. These objections have all been mitigated against with this latest concept plan. I therefore fully support the current plan for the development being approved for several reasons. These are;
• In terms of economics, as I am involved with the local business community it has been brought to my attention that in the immediate past 6 months, a particular business spent just over $100,000 in wages into the local community. By adding more properties being available then this could increase by some 40 to 50% once all properties in the new development have been built and occupied. Perhaps more.
• The management of storm water is vastly improved over the past design. Even though 75% of existing oyster farming lease license areas are not occupied there was general concern in the community that water run off would affect the Farming of such. This clearly cannot occur with this latest plan. In fact, the “Integrated Water Cycle Management System is well done. It uses the NORDE system resulting in a neutral or beneficial effect and has no water draining into downstream water bodies.
• Rainwater tanks on every lot.
• Solar panels on every lot. This is great for property dwellers whether they be owners or renters as there will be energy savings achieved from day one of occupancy.
• Higher-than-normal "energy efficiency" targets (7-star NatHERS rating) are set for the houses to be built. This can only be good for the occupiers
• The volume of direct offsets required under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act to compensate for the WCBD have been well exceeded. This is of great comfort and should seriously be taken as a positive support for the development approval.
• Looking at the history of planning and support for this development gives a good degree of confidence it is the right and acceptable type of development for the area. The following refers;
o The site has been zoned for residential development since the early 1990s;
o It is part of Council's Growth Management Strategy (GMS);
o The GMS is supported by the NSW Government's lllawarra Shoalhaven Regional Plan 2036;
o The development has been fully endorsed by Shoalhaven City Council;
• Greater opportunities will occur as the development is built providing the ability for existing residents to downsize onto smaller parcels and yet stay within a good range to the central facilities for the township.
• Improved entry to Culburra Beach is brought about by the development which provides opportunities for a new "gateway" into Culburra Beach with the introduction of roundabouts on Culburra Rd.
• The development integrates well with the existing township.

26th February 2021

SUBMISSION AGAINST THE PLAN FOR WEST CULBURRA MIXED USE SUBDIVISION
ID DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION: WEST CULBURRA CONCEPT PROPOSAL SSD 3846
Based on the following listed items, I fully oppose the above development.

I grew up in Culburra/Orient Point after my family made the decision to move there in 2000. I have since moved but the family home is still there, maintained by my parents. Very recently we have been made aware of this development proposal. I'm deeply concerned about the lack of community consultation, and potential misrepresentation of the communities views.
The concerns I have vary, but are difficult to narrow because of this lack of community consultation. In general most of my concerns revolve around infrastructure and environmental impact.

- Infrastructure Changes. With the addition of 350 homes and approximately 2.5 people per household this would increase the population significantly without providing sufficient facility upgrades. Doctors, Schools, Local Business, Police, Local Council Services. All would be overwhelmed by a 30%+ increase in population.

- Increased traffic. One road in and one road out. The towns capacity is already maximised over tourist seasons, increasing travel time by as much as 50% on a day to day basis during these months and adding such a significant amount of people without any change to the roads would mean an eternal gridlock.

- Dramatic community change. This proposal is a huge shift in tone for the community. What was once a quiet, sleepy bush/coastal village will be irreversibly shifted to booming small town, with no regard for future shifts. The feel in the long term generational existing community and those that moved here was to escape the hustle and bustle of city/large township, and this proposal could potentially drive existing residents out. It's unethical to force this change on a community of people for the sake of profit, without clear, transparent and proper consultation of the community.

- Environmental impact. I don't even know where to begin. There's so much change here that would damage the local environment to the point of no return. The removal of such a large swathe of bushland would force out native animals and flora, have a significant impact on water quality, and a myriad of other issues. Too many to mention. The wildlife has already been impacted so significantly in the last 12-18 months with the bushfires, to undergo this development could be devastating to the reproduction process.

In my opinion all of this is just a push for a trust to make a buck, without any regard for the existing community.

To Whom it May Concern,

We are the owners of a house in Culburra Beach, and write to express our strong opposition to the revised development proposal at West Culburra. We believe that Culburra's main appeal to its existing and future residents is its unique setting among Bangalay Sandforest and ocean waterways. To spoil this by developing ugly and un-needed high-density residences and commercial buildings would irrepairably damage Culburra's quality of life for its residents and destroy its future as a tourism destination.

The grounds for our objection are:

1) Destruction of precious Bangalay Sandforest and native species which inhabit it

2) Destruction of Curleys Bay waterway by adding pollution caused by hundreds of additional homes and commercial businesses

3) Unsightly buildings along Culburra Road, which would impact the tourism appeal of Culburra Beach

4) Raising the visitation of Culburra and Warrain Beaches, eroding quality of life for residents and destroying tourism appeal

5) Putting further downward pressure on Culburra Beach holiday rentals by flooding the market with excess stock

6) Putting further downward pressure on Culburra Beach retail businesses by adding new premises that are unsupported by the market

7) Creating additional traffic along Culburra Road, increasing fire danger for Culburra Beach residents in the event of evacuation

We urge the NSW Government to stop the destruction of precious coastal land, the scars of which are now seen up and down the state. Once this forest is destroyed, and all the unique wildlife along with it, it can never be returned.

I fully support the West Culburra Development. I have been coming to Culburra for the past 7 years after purchasing a holiday home there in 2014. Over the years many of the businesses have closed due to the lack of customers during the off peak seasons. I feel this development would be beneficial to the town, proping up these businesses during the off peak season and bring life back into the town which at sometimes has felt deserted.
The design of the parks and shared walkways alongside the lake will make this area more accessible to people, an area that I don't often tend to use due to unknown access points.
I like the idea of a Tavern/Sports club or similiar with Ocean views, to take advantage of the beautiful surrounds.
I really hope this development goes ahead, it will bring life into this dying small town, and create jobs for locals living in the area.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I'm against the proposal because of the negative impact on the environment. Enough is enough of over development of sensitive coastal areas. I'm a recent visitor to the area for the birdwatching - especially Lake Wollumboola and understand that the proposed 'development' will negatively impact the sensitive eco systems of the area amongst other impacts. My observation of the infrastructure of Culburra Beach & surrounds is that of overuse & poor road quality & a real stretching of resources. The proposed 'development' looks like adding pressure to already stretched facilities & especially the natural environment. I look forward to continued visits with family & friends but not to an overdeveloped housing / factory wasteland that will impact a significant bio-diversity area & potentially wreck it as well. Finally, its about the vibe - we need more rich bio-diversity not less. Thanks Matt

To whom it may concern,
My personal opinion is this development is not needed in Culburra at the cost of decimating parts our native bushland and estuary. The subsequent rezoning of the land proposed for the development opens a precedent for adjacent land, owned under the same company, to be rezoned and therefore developed all the way back to Coonemia Road.
The proposed development site and surrounding areas support countless wildlife and sensitive waterways which remain untouched from recent Shoalhaven bushfires. The area also provides a significant natural amenity to the entrance of the Culburra coastal village which must be maintained.
In addition, local infrastructure is already stressed and at breaking point, with Shoalhaven Council unable to sustain repairs both to roads in and around Culburra as well as access roads from nearby Nowra. Adding a housing development on top of this will compound the issue further and indeed make travelling in and out of town a significant safety issue for motorists and cyclists alike.
There is provision in current cleared land and existing dwellings, in and around Culburra, for redevelopment to support emerging needs such as downsizing for elderly couples. This approach would be more appropriate in keeping with the coastal village atmosphere rather than a wholesale housing redevelopment including an expansion of the current industrial area.
I understand there are some residents who argue that we need more affordable housing options in Culburra, however this development is highly unlikely to address this issue. There also is no guarantee that the proposed development will increase our local population in order to support our excessive retail premises outside of the holiday periods, which has also been an argument for the development. Incorrect numbers stating a majority percentage of residents supporting the development have also been reported to Shoalhaven council in an attempt to push the development forward. This also a matter of concern.
In conclusion, when we currently have a global conversation about climate change and the impact of human development on our environment, I implore you to consider the impact that this development will have on our natural landscape forever. Just because more people want to live on the coast or developers want to make a financial gain is not a valid reason to change what currently exists in Culburra. I feel compelled to argue against the proposal as I feel it will cause irreversible damage and I am not comfortable with that "on my watch".
Kind regards,
Fred Burley

I strongly oppose the West Culburra Concept Proposal SSD3845 primarily because:

- There has been a complete lack of community consultation and transparency in the formulation of this proposal. A supporter meeting in the local licensed club is not a suitable nor unbiased venue for public consultation concerning the proposal.
- It constitutes over development inappropriate for a town like Culburra. It will negatively impact the Beach environment the Crookhaven Catchment, it’s coastal forest and wetlands, the Crookhaven River and Curley’s Bay
- The water run-off survey is not sufficiently modeled. It does not use up-to-date methodology for measuring water quality. The developer's claims to enhance water quality remain untested and hence risky and unviable.
- An increased population will increase traffic in and out of a single access road community. This too is problematic and risky esp during bushfire season. There is no evidence of increased benefit to the permanent and holiday populations.
- It is not clear or apparent how the housing estate proposed meets current building standards and regulations.
- Lastly the economic enhancement claims proposed by the developer are unsubstantiated.

I am a permanent resident of Culburra Beach.
I support the progress & development of Culburra Beach which will benefit the majority of the community of Culburra Beach, is respectful of the local Indigenous community, economically sound, & environmentally sustainable. This is possible.
I OBJECT TO THIS proposed West Culburra Development as it stands in the current application on the following grounds:

It is unnecessary & not environmentally sound practice to clear 47 hectares of native forrest which include vulnerable & threatened species especially after the recent bushfires in the Shoalhaven killed & displaced much wildlife & plant life. This development will clear part of the 20% of the Shoalhaven which was spared bushfires in 2019/2020.

I am concerned by the proximity of the development to waterways & damage to wetlands & pollution from runoff entering waterways near by.

I believe this development WILL NOT reduce the cost of housing & solve the unaffordability of housing for young people in Culburra Beach. There is no guarantee the new housing is not bought as holiday homes & used as holiday rentals or by investors from larger cities. This development is designed to financially benefit a few & that is not the residents of Culburra Beach.

I object to this development's design & density as it is not in keeping with the current character of Culburra Beach. I am not sure the tourist who bring money to our village will still come when we clear the bush, pollute the waterways & fill it with houses packed so densely & change the nature of Culburra Beach that they enjoy & we love?

I have been a resident of Culburra for the last 20 years and only see the negative impacts this development will have on our environment and our limited infrastructure we have in place. Our roads and shops can not cope with the extra influx of tourists we now receive so how would it handle a few extra thousand people as permanent residents. I also strenuously object to the proposed integrated housing as part of this development, having worked in this field i know all to well the demographic this brings with it and the impact this has on small town culture and property prices, I have invested heavily in this town not just in property but in the community.
It would be like dumping integrated housing in the middle of Huskisson it wont work and is not in the best interest of the current residents.
Environment wise, the buffer zone between the foreshore and the development will not have the desired effect of decreasing pollution entering the river, all of that storm water running off the roads will enter into our river system carrying with it oil and debris from the roads. Also the amount of vegetation that will have to be removed to accommodate this development, hundred's if not thousands of trees which in turn removes habitat for our native animals which are already under so much pressure.
Short term gain to the detriment of our environment our community and the safety of our children is not something I could ever support.
Thank you for taking the time to read my submission.

This project will cause the destruction of precious natural forest and native habitat. This destruction following on from the 19/20 bushfire catastrophe which already destroyed a horrific amount of vegitation and wildlife in our area and NSW as a whole: "The 2019–20 bushfires were unprecedented in their extent and intensity, with the fire ground in New South Wales covering 5.5 million hectares (7% of the State)" NSW Government website.
This project poses a significant environmental risk to the Curleys Bay system and the farms within it. Development materials and contaniments during the clearing and building phase followed by residential rubbish and pollution from the then established residences.
The development size (clearing) as well as the number of dwellings is inconsistent and unsustainable for the Culburra Beach area. Facilities and maintenance is sorely lacking for the permanent residents and visiting tourists. This needs to be rectified before further development in our area is approved.
Thank you for you time and consideration.