Gordon Ridge Community Group

HOW’S THE SERENITY*

We fought them in our gardens, we fought them on our fences, we fought them in the halls of the Council. Never in the field of civil society have so few achieved so much against such misguided commercial avariciousness.

The developers have officially withdrawn their DA application and Norton Rose advise the community that the battle is over.

Congratulations to the entire Ridge Community.

* Darryl Kerrigan. Honorary member of the Ridge Community

24/04/10

NEED HELP?

Yes, the Gordon Ridge Community has won against the trashing of their street and community.

If your community is facing the same struggle then perhaps our experience can make your work easier. We may not be experts but we have learnt some useful things along the way.

Please feel free to contact us if you think we can help you. Contact Don Palmer on palmer@iinet.net.au

GORDON RIDGE COMMUNITY PROHIBITED AT 26 RIDGE STREET!

Representatives from the Gordon Ridge Community have been specifically banned from a meeting to be held at 26 Ridge Street by the owners of Beehive Capital.

The meeting was called so that Council planners and their legal representatives from Norton Rose Australia can examine the site first hand.

This is a further slap in the face by the disrespectful commercial operators who have shown contempt for the people of the area at every point.

The chances of them being good corporate citizens if they get the green light by the LEC seem somewhere between Buckley and Nunn.

Friday, March 26th

REJECTED AND DEJECTED

Check out the detailed explanation as to why the DA was comprehensively rejected by Council in their Facts & Contentions document (below).

The appeal to the Land and Environment Court is listed for a Section 34 Conciliation Conference on 11 May 2010 which will commence on-site at 26 Ridge Street, Gordon at 9:30 am.

Council will soon schedule a time for the residents to meet with Counsel and the relevant Council officers in relation to the appeal. That will take place about two weeks before the hearing and probably be held late on weekday afternoon.

There were some very furrowed brows at 26 Ridge St on Tuesday around 10 am as a collection of suits from Beehive Capital met on-site. Perhaps they were actually real estate agents discussing the best way to sell? Now that would be a smart move.

The Gordon Ridge Community will win this contest and common sense will triumph.

TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY AND COMMON SENSE

We have won the battle! Now we just need to win the war!

“This will be refused” according to Cr Keays and Cr Holland who, with Cr Szatow who have supported us at every turn. The submission is regarded as “deeply flawed” and Council has refused it.

The word from Elise Keays today is that she has an email from Director of Development and Regulation, Michael Miocic, stating that the DA has been recorded as a "Delegated Refusal". It will not go to Council.

Confirmation will shortly appear on the Council web-site.

It is said that “It takes a village to raise a child” but in this case it took a “village” to protect what is precious about this street so that our children might inherit what we all enjoy everyday, a peaceful community. As Darryl Kerrigan famously said “How’s the serenity?”.

If you hear some groans coming from the north, that's the sound of a disturbed beehive.

We are thankful for the guidance and support of our zone Councillors and Steven Holland.

The next step will be the Land and Environment Court. [Don’t throw out your signs just yet]. This should take place in the next few months.That’s a battle Council will fight on our behalf if Beehive Capital decide this is worth the fight. Talk about throwing good money after bad!

Previously on Gordon Ridge...

The news from Rebecca Eveleigh at the Council is that Beehive Capital Pty Ltd have already applied to have this matter heard by the Land and Environment Court!

Many always thought they would challenge the community and Council views, but jumping the gun like this might hint at a certain contempt for the democratic process, not to mention a lack of confidence that their submission would be acceptable to Council. The submission is unequivocally unacceptable to the people of the Ridge. We can only speculate the type of corporate community citizens B. Capital would be?

Rebecca explained that there is a rule that allows an applicant to take this step if there is no determination from Council within forty days. After that interval the DA can be a “deemed rejection”.

The submissions from the Gordon Ridge Community would be looked at closely and our systematic approach would constitute useful material should the Council oppose the submission – which seems highly likely.

Watch this space......

A Bee in our Bonnet

After all the street meetings, emails, meetings with Councillors, sign painting and conversations, the time has arrived.

The group submission was delivered to Council Monday 15th February. Email copies have gone out and anyone who wants to see a paper version can drop by to Lochleigh, number 29 Ridge Street, to have a look.

More than 145 individual letters were sent to council. I’ll bet they’re having a fine time going through those.

More than 250 people signed the petition. Everything that could be humanly done has been done and now we await the big wheels of democracy to move around.

Letters can still be sent for consideration and you can write a second time if you have more issues.

Thanks to everyone who worked so tirelessly to get us to this point.

“The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”. Thomas Jefferson.

“The price of a childcare centre in Ridge Street is something else” Anon

Protest Signs Defaced

Walking your dog along Ridge and Craiglands this morning took away the need to buy the Sydney Morning Herald. There was more comment scrawled on the street’s protest signs than on an Alan Jones blog. A favourite was “You can’t stop us” painted twice on the entrance to Ridge Street. Read more

Read the latest North Shore Times article "Vandals’ filthy words won’t stop the protest".

About us

We have formed this Gordon Ridge Community Group because we have a beautiful community which is worth protecting.

But, it is currently in danger of being changed forever by commercial development which threatens to overwhelm the surrounding streets, neighbours, traffic and destroy the historical value of this area.

We, the residents of Gordon Ridge feel strongly about the well-being of our homes and environment, and as we have done in the past, will continue defending our neighbourhood from unnecessary and unsuitable development.

Our Community

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Spreading the word

We need to spread the word further than just our streets and Clare has a great idea to acheive this. Car signs!