AN OPEN LETTER TO GYMPIE REGIONAL MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS

AS I sit to provide some feedback on the proposed planning scheme I am struck by what little public awareness of a very contentious proposal contained therein.

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It received scant attention in The Gympie Times coverage, doesn't appear to be mentioned in the council material provided at the public information sessions and indeed is exceptionally difficult to locate in the document itself.

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I refer to the contentious proposal to "allow land anywhere in a Rural Zone to operate as a Motor Sports Facility and host two (2) events per calendar year, with a maximum of four (4) consecutive days per event.”

Motor sports facilities are recognised as "difficult to locate” for very good reason.

It is absolutely no solution for council to abrogate its responsibility and think that by sharing them out across the region, the problem will somehow be diffused.

The wider community needs much more upfront discussion on this proposed change.

Rather than a properly constructed and approved site (such as I believe exists already at Curra) council seems to be prepared to open the door to a wide range of venues across the region on the assumption that the landholder has complied with all other agencies.

It would appear that there is no obligation on the landholder to demonstrate such compliance, nor even to inform council of the event. There seems to not even be an indication as to how many bikes may constitute an event, nor how many spectators.

I am mindful of the tragic recent death of a young motorcyclist at a Scrubby Creek facility and fear it would be just the start of many if the "laissez faire” approach envisaged in this particular amendment, come to fruition.

Inconvenience and noise nuisance to neighbours are just the start of the problems.

I ask your commitment that council embark on a much wider and upfront consultation with its community, particularly its rural community, before making any decision to relax the planning scheme in the way it presently proposes.

IAN MACKAY,

MOY POCKET