Community Meeting

Over 100 people attended the community meeting called by the Trust on Thursday night, including Greg Smith and three Hornsby councillors.

Much of the discussion was on the topic of the new 10/50 law which threatens to strip large areas of Beecroft and Cheltenham of the lovely trees that are so much of the historic legacy of our previously beautiful suburbs.  Graham Ross gave an impassioned speach against the blanket imposition of such a draconian rule across the State.  There are clear differences in bush fire risk between houses in the Blue Mountains, where the rule is easily justified, and city suburbs, where the rule is just seen as an excuse for landowners to remove trees that the Shire had previously protected.

The question was asked, what will we be leaving to our children after the trees are gone, the railways and tunnels are put through, our rail access to the city is  curtailed, and 500 extra residents have been housed in the Beecroft village with no improvements to roads or schools?

 

Greg made the valid point that for many years there has been much talk about transport issues, but nothing has been achieved. At least the transport infrastructure that Sydney needs is now being put in place.  It just seems that Beecroft is the hub around which all this development is taking place and Beecroft is not getting any compensating benefits.

 

The general tone of the meeting might be summarised as Much Anger, but nothing we can Do.