Emerald Beach decision 'best and only outcome for area'

UPDATE: United Residents Group of Emerald Beach president Karina Rothacker says yesterday's court decision is the best outcome for the region.

VICTORY: Residents are celebrating after a campaign to prevent a controversial land development succeeded. Picture: Trevor Veale

UPDATE 12.15PM: United Residents Group of Emerald Beach president Karina Rothacker said, "It's a real landmark decision because coastal hazards are such an important topic of the times.

"It's a very important decision because so many people contributed to the rejection of the development.

"It's the best and only outcome that would be good for the area.

"We'd like to thank everybody who put up their hand to protect the land for all their different reasons, it's the community who put it forward and supported it.

"The council played an important role and we're very impressed with their work, they should be proud of their actions.”

9AM: A controversial land development on the Coffs Coast has been rejected by the Land and Environment Court.

Pridel Investments had applied to subdivide coastal land north of Emerald Beach into 39 residential lots.

Coffs Harbour councillors voted against the application in March last year, a decision the developers appealed in the Land and Environment Court.

That appeal was thrown out late yesterday.

United Residents Group of Emerald Beach celebrated the decision with a post on Facebook overnight labelling it a momentous occasion.

The post describes the court's decision as a "huge win for the environment and our community and sets an important precedent for development guidelines on coastal land”.

"URGE would like to extend a huge thank you to anyone who signed a petition/submission letter, turned up to a demonstration or the LEC hearing, or who just lent their support in any way.”

The group has called on supporters to meet at the Emerald foreshores today at 5pm "to share in the spirit of this great news”.