Ingleside redevelopment: 980 home proposal sparks fears over bushfire evacuation
Hundreds of people on the northern beaches have joined forces to fight a controversial 980-home development, saying in the event of a bushfire it would turn the area into a death trap.
Manly
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Hundreds of people on the northern beaches have joined forces to fight a controversial 980-home development, saying in the event of a bushfire it would turn the area into a death trap.
Last month the State Government announced plans to allow close to 980 new homes — which amounts to around 3000 extra people — on the northern beaches.
Planning Minister Rob Stokes described the proposed development in Ingleside as a “modest new village nestled in a bushland escarpment”.
It’s a cut down version of a redevelopment proposal that was released in 2016 which made room for 3400 homes.
That proposal was scrapped in 2018 after serious concerns were raised by the NSW Rural Fire Service about the risks associated with bushfires sweeping into the area.
There were fears that residents would not be able to evacuate quickly enough during a major bushfire and the suburb would be severely affected by ember attack.
Bushfires ravaged large swathes of the northern beaches and destroyed several homes in 1994. The worst-hit areas were Elanora Heights, Ingleside and the western side of Pittwater.
However, critics say the proposal goes against the advice of the government’s own consultants who had previously advised that there should be no development west of Powerworks Rd because of a bushfire risk.
Jackie Jarvis, of Elanora Heights, who set up Residents Against Inappropriate Development (RAID), said Powderworks Rd was the one route out of the area and the extra 2-3000 cars the development would bring would clog up the escape route for thousands of people in the north of the peninsula, including those living in Terrey Hills and Duffys Forest.
“We believe this development would put lives at risk,” Ms Jarvis said.
“That road is hard to pull out onto at the best of times, but with additional cars it would be impossible.”
Now various grassroots community groups led by RAID, including Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon, Pittwater Natural Heritage Association, Garigal Deep Creek Residents Association and Ingleside South Residents Association are working together to stop the development.
Other concerns include the lack of infrastructure such as schools and medical centres to support the development, as well as the extra burden it would place on Northern Beaches Hospital and concerns over the destruction of flora and fauna, including the endangered Angus’s Onion Orchid.
“This is a semi rural area, where people grow vegetables and have horses,” Ms Jarvis said.
“There are 130 dwellings in Ingleside now on blocks of between one and five acres.
“They want to build 980 homes on 450 sqm blocks.
“It is totally inappropriate.”
Cr Rory Amon told the Manly Daily that the plans seemed to have “upset everyone” including Northern Beaches Council.
He said the council was investigating how much it would cost the ratepayers to install the roads, footpaths and other infrastructure to support the development but it looked like it could amount to more than $30 million.
In terms of the bushfire risk, he said “residents’ safety must be paramount”.
He said the government had to be guided by the experts and if residents were concerned then it had to clearly explain why there were no safety issues.
A spokesman from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment said ensuring safety from bushfire and protecting significant biodiversity are at the heart of the renewed vision for Ingleside.
“We worked very closely with Northern Beaches Council, Police, Rural Fire Service and the community to get the planning right,” he said.
“We listened to concerns raised about bushfires and we’ve put the safety of residents and homes at the centre of the strategy, including creating new safety measures and evacuation plans.”
The spokesman said the strategy includes protection of the environment and preserving natural and biophysical assets by conserving, protecting and enhancing bushland, creek lines and riparian corridors, and scenic and cultural landscapes, as well as other measures.
The public exhibition period has been extended to Friday 23 July, to ensure the community can have their say on this important strategy.
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