CHOPPER WORRY
I read with much sympathy the letter from Eileen McMurtrie drawing attention to the lack of affordable avenues to appeal council development decisions
(CP, 24/2).
A month ago, the Cassowary Coast Regional Council approved a rezoning to enable a new aviation facility for helicopters at an entirely inappropriate location; slap bang between the Wongaling and Mission Beach villages.
The type of helicopters proposed are not quiet little machines, but highly specialised up to 5.7-tonne weight multi-role helicopters principally for aerial firefighting, heavy-lift and aerial crane, plus reconnaissance missions.
Nevertheless, the council in its wisdom did not consider there was any need for an expert study on such a fundamental issue as potential noise impacts on the surrounding area. Even such an acoustic report was recently produced for the council to support an application for a roof top bar at Palm Cove.
A group of concerned residents together with a local environmental group have joined to appeal the decision in the Planning and Environment Court.
Like the Paradise Palms situation, this is going to be very costly. However, alternate processes are simply lacking to challenge council decisions.
Of course, the bar to appealing cannot be so low that it encourages frivolous appeals but when an issue as basic as acoustic impacts is inadequately addressed there should be avenues to obtain justice without a full and expensive appeal that has to be funded by residents.
Fundraising is going well so far but those wishing to assist should seek out the “No Helicopters Here Campaign” website.
Dominic Mobbs, Wongaling Beach