Major Development Threat to Oxford Falls + Red Hill trail network

I'd just like to unpack some of the earlier post on this subject. This is quite serious.

The State government is looking to develop the land in the Red Hill and Oxford Falls area that Warringah Council was looking to set aside as an Environmental Protection Zone. The EPZ would have worked very well for us. Seeing that didn't come off, the government is looking to pounce.

Besides being potentially having a severe adverse impact on the health of Narrabeen Lagoon catchment over the long term due to the inevitable death of a thousand cuts, it is likely to result in the loss of a major chunk of the existing unofficial trail networks in the Red Hill / Oxford Falls area.

The area under "consideration" (threat) is the white area in the following map. It is huge:

Trail Care has met with Warringah Council, Department of Sport and Rec, Crown Lands, MLALC and has reached agreement to draft a Memorandum of Understanding between all parties to start bringing these trails up to standard and authorise them, re-route where necessary for protection of heritage and environmentally sensite areas, build new trails, and turn the area into a mountain biking haven. Our vision is to have in place a trail network capable of providing a 50km singletrack loop, including crossings under Wakehurst Parkway to join Oxy and Red Hill, an event centre at the Department of Sport and Rec including a mountain biking Centre of Excellence, DH and AM runs - the whole box and dice.

This proposal from Planning has the potential to complicate and hold this up for years - to have this come up from left field when we are so close to the start line is ... aarrgh, words can't describe.

It is vitally important we send a message: this area is of extremely high strategic value to us for a whole range of reasons.

Department of Planning are consulting with the public to find out how the community values this area before making any decisions. RSVP by 3 October by emailing [email protected]. If you read this after this date still RSVP anyway.http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/planning-reviews-and-panels

The public meeting is being held Monday 15 October 2012 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Forestville Memorial Hall (corner Starkey St and Warringah Rd, Forestville). Staff from both Council and the Department will be available on the night to explain the strategic review and answer questions. To attend the session, register by email to [email protected] by Wednesday 3 October 2012.

Bums on seats are essential. We need to sieze this opportunity. RSVP today!