Find Us Online

Visit our BLOG

http://blackheathairstripcommunitygroup.blogspot.com.au/

Sign the PETITION

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/petition-for-the-creation-of-old-blackheath-airstrip-as.html 

Like our FACEBOOK PAGE

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackheath-Airstrip-Community-Group/341638479229487

Join our FACEBOOK SUPPORTERS GROUP

http://www.facebook.com/groups/BACGD/members/

Subscribe to us on TWITTER

https://twitter.com/#!/BACGT

Subscribe to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL

http://www.youtube.com/TheBACGmedia?feature=mhee

Now watch our videos on VIMEO

https://vimeo.com/thebacgmedia

You can email us at blackheathairstripcg@gmail.com

Fight with council

My letter to the editor that appeared in this weeks Gazette.

G. Moor (BMG 13/6/12) had access to the BACG (Blackheath Airstrip Comunity Group) Facebook site for a long period of time despite many of the comments being either uninformed, misleading.

He then introduce two of his friends and a family member whose comments were blunt/negative and derogatory of others.

G, Moor had a lot more opportunity to voice his opinion than we have had with Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC).

After many complaints as Administrator of the site I removed him and his friends/ relatives.

BMCC’ s letterhead proclaims it to be “The city within a world heritage national park” Has G Moor told them they got it wrong?

Any development on this site will have a direct impact on the surrounding National Park as will any runoff. Weeds will find their way into the creeks and rivers.

Clearing of habitat will put pressures on threatened species living on the site, surrounding bush land and in the National Park.

Finally I would like to say that BACG is a community group.

Our fight is with BMCC. Not Springwood or other members of the community.

We demand Community Consultation and that BMCC follow its own policies in this regard.
It is a dangerous precedent to allow BMCC to act unilaterally and ignore its constituents.

BACG and I do to not want this BMCC to have the power to approve large- scale developments, such as this, without community consultation.

Nigel Holland
BACG Online Administrator.

Springwood Forum

Here is a link to Michael Aaronson's Springwood Forum site. He is running for ward 3 this election. There is a page on the site dedicated to the Blackheath Airstrip Sale. We do not necessary agree with everything Micheal is saying but he is at least is trying to collect the facts, he is listening to both sides of the debate and is suggesting possible compromises. It's worth taking a look and he is always adding to the site as he finds new information. It's worth going back to so bookmark it.

http://springwoodforum.org/default.aspx?Page=116

People we can write to or contact

Here is a contact list of people and departments you should write to about the Airstrip development.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Minister for Regional Australia
Regional Development and Local Government Minister for the Arts
Mr Simon Crean
Hotham Electorate Office
401 Clayton Road
Clayton
VIC 3168
(03) 9545 6211
(03) 9545 6299
Postal Address
PO Box 5295
Clayton VIC 3168

Parliament House
Suite MG 47
Canberra
ACT 2600
(02) 6277 7380
(2) 6273 4117

Senator for New South Wales
Senator Doug Cameron
Parliament House
PO Box 6022
Canberra
ACT 2600
(02) 6277 3367

Electorate Office
Unit 6, 5 Raymond Road
Springwood
NSW 2777
(02) 4751 4288

PO Box 322
Springwood
NSW 2777

Federal Member for Macquarie
Ms Louise Markus
Street Address
Shop 24, Riverview Shopping Centre
227 George Street
Windsor
NSW 2756

Postal Address
PO Box 855
Windsor
NSW 2756

PO Box 4060
Winmalee
NSW 2777
Phone
1300 653 841

Mr Tony Burke MPMember for Watson
Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.Parliament House office on (02) 6277 7640 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (02) 6277 7640      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
end_of_the_skype_highlightingtony.burke.mp@environment.gov.au
http://www.tonyburke.com.au/get-in-touch/





STATE GOVERNMENT


Mr David Shoebridge MLC Greens
Parliament House,
Macquarie Street,Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9230 3030
david.shoebridge@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Services
Mr Andrew Stoner
Ministerial Office

Telephone:
(02) 9228 5209
Fax:
(02) 9228 5970
Email:
office@deputypremier.nsw.gov.au
Street Address:
Governor Macquarie Tower
Level 30, 1 Farrer Place
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Oxley Electoral Office
Telephone:
(02) 6562 6190
Fax:
(02) 6563 1355
Email:
oxley@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Street Address:
37 Elbow Street
WEST KEMPSEY NSW 2440
Postal Address:
PO Box 120 WEST KEMPSEY NSW 2440

Minister for Local Government
Mr Donald Page
Ministerial Office
Telephone:
(02) 9228 3403
Fax:
(02) 9228 3442
Email:
office@page.minister.nsw.gov.au
Street Address:
Governor Macquarie Tower
Level 33, 1 Farrer Place
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Ballina Electorate Office
Telephone:
(02) 6686 7522
Fax:
(02) 6686 7470
Email:
ballina@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Street Address:
Shop 1, 7 Moon Street
BALLINA NSW 2478
Postal Address:
PO Box 1018 BALLINA NSW 2478

Member for Blue Mountains
Ms Roza Sage
132 Macquarie Road
Springwood
NSW 2777
(02) 4751 3298
bluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Council Refuse Community Consultation

Council still refuse Community Consultation despite 600 strong petition and strong opposition at town meeting!


Visit our Youtube site and see what the Blue Mountains City Council are planning to bulldoze!
http://youtu.be/73YYCb7lZPs

Please come to the Council Meeting on the 5th June at 7:30. At this meeting Cr Eleanor GIBBS will submit our petition. It would be good to show up in full force, fill the room and support her. We are planing to arrive about half an hour early so they will have to walk past us on the way in. Bring signs but remember this to be a calm protest. Please observe the rules when in the council chambers. We do however want them to know we are there so perhaps bring a small sign or banner to wave. Remember this is not about Springwood. It's about the Councils decision to go ahead without following due process and without Community Consultation. Be prepared (bring a book, maybe this one http://aidanricketts.com/the-activists-handbook/ ) as it tends to get a bit boring at times! You may have to sit for a bit before the submission takes place. We need to make a strong show if we are going to make a difference! See you there

Our Links

Visit our online sites and join the fight

BLOG:

http://blackheathairstripcommunitygroup.blogspot.com.au/

FACEBOOK PAGE:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackheath-Airstrip-Community-Group/341638479229487


FACEBOOK GROUP:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/BACGD/members/


Petition:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/petition-for-the-creation-of-old-blackheath-airstrip-as.html



TWITTER:

https://twitter.com/#!/BACGT

YOUTUBE:

http://www.youtube.com/TheBACGmedia?feature=mhee

You can email us at blackheathairstripcg@gmail.com

BMCC Blackheath Airstrip Town Meeting

Hi All, just a reminder to attend the public meeting being hosted by BMCC on Thursday, May 31 from 7.30 to 8.30pm at the Blackheath Community Centre, corner Great Western Highway and Gardiners Crescent, Blackheath. It is important we get as many people attending and bring your questions for the council. I'm sure they will be happy to answer anything you want to know. After all it is a meeting not an information session, isn't it?  It would be a good idea to arrive early so we can all have a chat before it starts. See you there!


http://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/news/local/news/general/public-meeting-on-blackheath-land-sale/2564635.aspx?storypage=2

Compiling a list of Community Concerns

We are seeking some input:

Our immediate aim is to stop this major housing development on Blackheath airstrip and surrounding bushland until there has been proper community consultation and assessment of the social and environmental impact.

We are planning to meet with each councillor next week and are in the process of compiling a list of community concerns to raise with them. If you have any concerns please e-mail them to us in dot-point form.

Thank you for your valued input,
Blackheath Airstrip Community Group

blackheathairstripcg@gmail.com

Preliminary questions for tonights Council Meeting

There is a Council meeting tonight; we will have people there to try to get BMCC to delay the commencement of works on this development until concerns raised by the community are satisfied. 
The preliminary questions are:

Consultation 
• Council states in its Community Consultation policy (as approved by Council on 29 September 2009 and revised on 12 October 2010), that it “considers consultation as a central principle in sound planning and decision making”. Despite this, at its meeting on13 March 2012, Council made some significant resolutions about the future of the Blackheath Airstrip site without any form of community consultation, despite the significant impact that the resolutions would have on the community. Why was no community consultation undertaken? 
• Why is a plan of subdivision registered in 1929 (83 years ago) considered appropriate today for a development of this magnitude (either 45 or 90 potential new houses) and having regard to the changes since 1929?
• Has Council rescinded its 1956 decision to use the proceeds of sale of the airstrip for the purpose of tar sealing and kerb and guttering in Blackheath? If so, when did Council do this?

Safety issues
• What assessment was made as to the impact of increased resident numbers in the case of bushfire, particularly concerning traffic ingress and egress? In that regard what report has been prepared by the NSW Fire Brigade or Rural Fire Service to assess the risk to public safety in the event of bushfire, especially in regard to the evacuation of the increased number of residents?
• What assessment has been undertaken to ensure that the airstrip land is not contaminated from airport usage, the sewerage works depot (on the airstrip site during 2007,2008,2009) and any illegal dumping (particularly when asbestos has been found on site)?

Sustainability
• What reports have been received by Council to assess the sustainability of the development? Where can these reports be accessed? In particular, on what basis did Council find that there would be nil negative environmental, social, economic and governance impacts of the proposed development? 
• What feasibility study has been undertaking to confirm the economic viability of the development, having regard to the statement to Council that the real estate market is flat?

Infrastructure
• What upgrades is Council proposing to the existing infrastructure and utilities in the surrounding area having regard to impact on the area of this proposed development (both within the development site and within the broader local area)? For example, are the natural gas pipeline, the sewerage lines and drainage able to cope with the increased demand and changed use of the land?
• What report has Council commissioned to consider the suitability of the road surface of Hat Hill Road for this major development, both during any development and into the future when there will be increased traffic usage?

Meeting with Council
• When are Council members available to address the Blackheath community at a public forum about the many concerns raised by this development?

Blackheath faces major development!

Blue Mountains City Council has approved development of the Hat Hill Rd ex-airstrip site and large areas of surrounding bushland.

This was done with absolutely NO consultation with residents or the community.

They are clearing a large amount of good bushland, and possibly installing 90 homes, twice what is recommended by their own zoning.

This is being considered based on a now-outdated subdivision plan from 1928.

It is being done purely for financial reasons and has not been fully documented, ie the small community of Blackheath is possibly being hugely impacted for little or no reason

They have assessed the environmental and social impact as "nil"!

THIS WILL START IN MAY 2012… not much time to have your voice heard!

Details can be found by downloading the PDF
http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcouncil/councilmeetings/2012meetings/13march2012
on the right, under
"USING LAND FOR LIVING"
"Item 13: Project Plan for Existing Land Sub-Division in Hat Hill Road, Blackheath"

Things to do:

• Read the PDF.
• Register your email with us for updates: blackheathairstripcg@gmail.com
• Tell your neighbors!
• Call the Council, ask them to explain it.
• Write to the 'Blue Mountains Gazette' http://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/content/letterstotheeditor/
• Email/write to BMCC/Councillors
• Council@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
• http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcouncil/councillors
• The mayor is Cr Daniel Myles dmyles@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
• In particular, your local councilors are
  Terri Hamilton  thamilton@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
  Janet Mays  jmays@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
  El Gibbs  egibbs@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
• Go to the Facebook page and 'LIKE' it! Comment! (Numbers matter!) and join the Facebook group 
• Visit our online sites and join the fight
  BLOG: 
  http://blackheathairstripcommunitygroup.blogspot.com.au/
  
  FACEBOOK PAGE:
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackheath-Airstrip-Community-Group/341638479229487
  
  FACEBOOK GROUP: 
  http://www.facebook.com/groups/BACGD/members/
  
  TWITTER:
  https://twitter.com/#!/BACGT

We chose to live in Blackheath, a unique small town where we can enjoy the bush. We would expect to be able to be consulted about such a major impact on our environment and our community.