Planners repeat flood concerns over North Boambee Valley

Environmental stakes high ahead of Council meeting to decide fate of industrial land

The view south into North Boambee Valley from North Boambee Road. Photo: Tim Jarrett

Councillors expecting a deep-dive into DPIE’s problems with industrialisation in North Boambee Valley may well be disappointed after they were sent a fairly succinct letter in response to a request for more information.

Last year Councillors pressed the Department of Planning Industry and Environment for a “detailed justification” as to why a section of North Boambee Valley should be carved out from a major planning document, effectively preventing it from becoming an industrial area in future.

READ MORE: Councillors turn tables in push to industrialise land

The response from DPIE’s Northern Region director Jeremy Gray marks the latest chapter in a bureaucratic back-and-forth with councillors concerned about the long term implications of limiting space for industrial development on the Coffs Coast.

The Lakes Estate in North Boambee Valley.

Both DPIE and Coffs Harbour City Council staff have repeatedly recommended industrialisation not proceed in the area due to a range of environmental and flood constraints.

In his most recent letter, Mr Gray reiterated those reasons for rejection, which included that land identified as High Environment Value is located in several parts of the potential industrial land and there are records of both koala and giant barred frogs being present.

READ MORE: Boambee Valley land plan could be scrapped

The land also contains vegetation mapped as primary koala habitat under the Coffs Harbour Koala Plan of Management.

Mr Gray also noted that while there are plans for a flood detention basin in North Boambee Valley, it would not “completely mitigate the impacts of flooding” and a significant amount of engineering solutions would be required to alleviate flood hazards caused by development.

That included flood hazards affecting downstream residential areas, industrial land and Coffs Harbour hospital.

Council staff are recommending Councillors accept the response from state planners at this Thursday’s Council meeting, however, DPIE has left the door open for further study to take place to effectively prove the environmental and flood restraints can be overcome.

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