Kingscliff petition reaches new heights in NSW Parliament

Councillor Ron Cooper has collected 16,000 signatures opposing height limits more than three storeys in Kingscliff

PETITION: NSW Labor's Craig Elliot and Luke Foley have tabled Cr Ron Cooper's petition signed by more than 16,000 people opposing high rises in Kingscliff. Picture: Contributed

A CONTROVERSIAL petition opposing high rise buildings in Kingscliff will be debated by NSW Parliament.

The petition, circulated by Tweed Shire Councillor Ron Cooper during his 2016 election campaign, was signed by more than 16,000 people supporting a three-storey height limit in Kingscliff.

Kingscliff height limits have been a hot topic at Tweed Shire Council for the past four years, as staff work on creating the draft Kingscliff Locality Plan for the seaside town.

BUILDING HEIGHTS: Cr Reece Byrnes, Richmond MP Justine Elliot, NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley, Cr Ron Cooper and Shadow Minister for the North Coast Walt Secord are opposed to buildings higher than three storeys in Kingscliff. Picture: Mitchell Crawley

In 2017, council approved an amendment to the shire's Local Environmental Plan to align height controls from 13.6m to three storeys, resulting in a ban on anything four storeys and above in the Kingscliff area.

But earlier this year Tweed Daily News reported that the NSW Government is expected to reject the amendment because of a lack of public consultation.

NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley tabled the petition this week in parliament, with a discussion set for November 15 about the matter.

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"The coastal town of Kingscliff should be allowed to retain its laid-back village appeal and not be overrun by high rise buildings," Mr Foley said.

"I was pleased to be able to table this petition to Parliament on behalf of the Tweed residents fighting this."

SIGN UP: Alan Kirk, Jeanette Duke, Leone Suter and Ron Cooper discussing the Kingscliff heights petition. Picture: Contributed

Cr Cooper said he was pleased the government would see first hand the community's push for a three-storey height limit in Kingscliff.

"The whole point of the petition was for it to be delivered to parliament and be big enough that it has the political strength to ensure people have a say at the state level," Cr Cooper said.

"Even though some of the (signatories) were from overseas, a good number of them were from NSW.

"I didn't do it online or go into the back blocks of NSW, I did it in the Tweed and it was letting them know that the people who visited this area felt the same way as the residents (about three-storey limit).

Labor's candidate for Tweed Craig Elliot said residents he'd spoken to didn't want Kingscliff to resemble the Gold Coast.

"This will be a huge issue at the March 2019 election and my commitment is to retain the long-standing three-storey height limit across Kingscliff and similar Tweed coastal villages as a measure to protect our unique quality of life," he said.

"The last thing we want to see is Kingscliff filled with Gold Coast style high rise apartments. "