Lizard Rock, Belrose: Council rejects latest planning move over Aboriginal land redevelopment bid

The latest move by the NSW Government over a push to redevelop Aboriginal owned bushland on the northern beaches has been comprehensively rejected by the council.

The next step in a bid by the NSW Government to allow a controversial 450-home subdivision on Aboriginal-owned bushland at Belrose has been comprehensively rejected by Northern Beaches Council.

A special council meeting on Tuesday was called to discuss a decision by state planning officials to allow the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council’s massive “Lizard Rock” land redevelopment plan to move to the Planning Proposal stage.

The “Strategic Planning Panel”, of the Government’s Sydney North Planning Panel, also invited the council to be the Planning Proposal Authority (PPA) before it goes back to the government for a final decision.

But the council voted to reject the offer to be the consent body and to continue its opposition to the rezoning that would allow homes, seniors’ accommodation and community facilities to be built on the 71ha site.

The council has been critical of the redevelopment proposal, with Mayor Michael Regan calling it a “bushfire trap” and urging that it become a national park instead of a housing estate.

An indicative image of what an Aboriginal cultural centre may look like in the proposed 'Lizard Rock' development at Belrose on 71ha of land owned by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council. The image is part of an Urban Design Framework document lodged with the NSW Planning Department. Picture: Cox Architecture

If the plan gets the go-ahead, bushland equivalent in size to 45 football fields would disappear, the council found.

On December 22, 2022, the Panel determined that the planning proposal should be submitted to the department for a decision on whether the plan should proceed to the next stage.

An indicative image of what housing on smaller blocks may look like in the proposed 'Lizard Rock' development. Picture: Cox Architecture

An indicative image of what housing on smaller blocks may look like in the proposed 'Lizard Rock' development. Picture: Cox Architecture

It also asked the council if it wanted to submit a Planning Proposal to the department that included a review of the plan’s merits and whether it should proceed to public exhibition.

But in a report to the elected councillors on Tuesday, council officers stated that if the council became the PPA, the community may perceive that the council supported the proposal.

On Tuesday, as well as knocking back the government’s offer to be the consent authority, the council also voted to write to NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns to seek their support in its decision to oppose the development and to meet to them to discuss the issue.

A footprint engraving within the proposed 'Lizard Rock' development at Belrose on 71ha of land owned by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council. Picture: Cox Architecture

The council will also write to the federal Environment Minister and the NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

It also voted to ask council officers to investigate the “proposition of commencing proceedings” in the Land and Environment Court to “injunct the progress” of the planning proposal.

As well as free standing homes and townhouses up to 8.5m high, the Lizard Rock site could also include seniors housing, an Aboriginal cultural community centre as well as shops, a supermarket and cafes.

Its owners argue the redevelopment would help fund initiatives for Aboriginal people as well as protect a number of ancient Aboriginal sites within it boundaries.

Nathan Moran from the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, pictured at the Lizard Rock site in August last year. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Regan told Tuesday’s meeting that the plan must not go ahead and the council should not be involved as a consent authority.

“We don’t want to be clearing bush, that’s not how we develop land,” he said.

“And putting people a risk (of bushfire) is not the right thing to do.

“I certainly don’t want to be part of any process where we are giving consent to this sort of thing.

“To put 400-plus dwellings (on the site) is 400-plus too many.

“I think we need to stay strong on this.”

Cr Jose Menano-Pire said he would rather be an “opponent” to the plan than its consent authority.

Councillor Rory Amon described the redevelopment proposal as “objectionable” because “we have very little environment left that needs protection”.

“The fact that this proposal is being contemplated is completely obscene,” he said.

The “Lizard Rock” on the proposed redevelopment site along Morgan Rd, which runs between Oxford Falls and Belrose. (AAP Image / Julian Andrews)

“So not only are they proposing to level 45 football fields of the most beautiful environment, not only n this area … we are absurdly contemplating putting future residents at a catastrophic risk of fire impacting on them.”

Independent councillor Vincent De Luca, the only councillor to support the redevelopment, pointed out that 19.8ha of the site would be kept as conservation areas.

An indicative map of the proposed 'Lizard Rock' development at Belrose. Picture: Cox Architecture

He also pointed out that the area surrounding Lizard Rock already had numerous retirement villages, nursing homes and houses.

“Is council now saying that they, too, should not have been able to develop in that area?” he said.

Cr De Luca said the redevelopment would provide “great benefit” to indigenous and First Nation people.

The Planning Department, prior to Tuesday’s meeting, said that if council rejected the PPA role, an alternate planning proposal authority would be appointed.

“If the proposal proceeds, it will be publicly exhibited for a minimum of 28 days in 2023 giving the community and other stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback,” the department stated.