Forestry Corporation bid to subdivide, sell land at Cumberland State Forest
A planning proposal by NSW Forestry Corporation to subdivide and sell land at the Cumberland State Forest has been blasted by a Sydney mayor.
Hills Shire
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The NSW Forestry Corporation is plotting to sell off land surrounding the Cumberland State Forest in West Pennant Hills, as the community surrounding it fight to protect it.
Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne hit out at the decision from the Forestry Corporation, which submitted a planning proposal to rezone the land for low density residential in May despite an active campaign to save the threatened forest.
Planning documents for the proposal argued the bid was the result of Forestry “identifying an opportunity to improve management of its assets” and meet the housing needs of The Hills.
“Forestry has identified the sites as financially burdensome and surplus to its needs,” the proposal said.
“The vacant caretaker dwellings are in disrepair, and the resources required for regenerating and managing the sites would impose a disproportionate financial burden on Forestry.”
The sites proposed to be subdivided include 87 to 97 Castle Hill Rd and 121 to 131 Oratava Ave, West Pennant Hills.
Cr Byrne said she feared the proposal would set a concerning precedent for the future, if the rezoning was approved.
“What is to stop the Forestry Corporation of NSW from returning in the future to rezone further parts of the forest?” she said.
“At this early stage, it seems crazy for forestry sites to be sold given the emphasis of the State Plan, Metropolitan Plan, Regional and District Plans articulating government policy on increasing recreational opportunities for Sydney and the establishment of the green grid to improve liveability in our suburbs.”
A forestry Corporation spokeswoman said the two residential cottages on the sites were previously used by staff living on site.
“These have been vacant for over five years and are no longer needed,” she said.
“The sites are cleared grassland with small houses on them and are managed as residential sites and separated from the 40 hectares of regrowth forest open to the public.
“Once the zoning is consistent with the traditional use of the blocks, Forestry Corporation will look at subdividing these cleared blocks so they can continue to be used for low density housing consistent with the neighbouring homes in the street.”
The spokeswoman said although it has sold blocks of land which housed old cottages or depots no longer needed for operations in the past, Forestry Corporation: “does not sell forested areas of land and has no plans to rezone or subdivide any other areas of Cumberland State Forest”.
Baulkham Hills state Liberal MP David Elliott said he has written to ministers to oppose, “what is a ridiculous proposal”.
The Cumberland State Forest has become the centre of a fierce campaign following a development proposal by Mirvac for 600 homes at the IBM Business Park site at 55 Coonara Ave.
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