It’s hard to imagine that in our community there are still some people that believe that they can do what-ever they want , wherever they want without regard for neighbours, the environment or the planning laws that everyone else has to abide by.
The role of Council in addressing community concerns has been highlighted recently in addressing the illegal actions of one person who erected a timber stairway to the waterfront without any planning consent, felled a dozen mature gum trees on a steep slope without any consent, started building a 30m jetty without any consent, erected a fence out in to the lake and piled construction waste on to the foreshore, and constructed a deck and fence which extended on to the neighbour’s land.
The consequences of such actions mean the hillside slides gracefully into the lake because there is nothing holding it together, the foreshore is compromised and neighbourly harmony is non-existent.
This is where Council can help. Lake Macquarie Council has a strong reputation for striving to protect the environment and upholding their planning instruments, it is why they exist. The process also needs community people to raise the issue and instigate the action so Council officers can take action.
If you see something that you feel is not right, write it down and let Council know. Sometimes you may think what is happening is so outrageous someone must have reported it, but it never hurts to flick a quick email to council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au or take a photo and record the events as for future reference.
