The Editor
Newcastle Herald
Bolton Street
Newcastle NSW

Dear Sir,

Foreshore Planning at Honeysuckle

Planning Minister Dr Andrew Refshauge seems to have granted approval for housing and hotel at Merewether Wharf contrary to the detail and objectives of the statutory plan.

This means that the city will be walled off from the harbour at Merewether Street Wharf.

The deception in the planning process began with the ‘Call For Expressions of Interest’ 5th December 1996.

The advertisement stated ‘endorsed planning guidelines’ made ‘the site suitable for hotel/convention/ and residential development’ when in actual fact the area was zoned 5(a) Port Related Uses and required rezoning.

Suitable planning guidelines were not in place until Planning Minister Knowles made REP Central Honeysuckle 10/12/1997 and assumed planning control from Newcastle Council.

The Planning Minister is now lord high everything of Honeysuckle and has disregarded the official plan at Merewether Street Wharf without the legitimacy of a Commission of Inquiry.

Probity and public equity in planning has been lost

Yours sincerely,