Read the full Tasmanian Planning Commission decision here: Glamorgan Spring Bay – draft amendment AM 2018-03 – decision and reasons 6 October 2023 (planning.tas.gov.au).
Media release – East Coast Alliance, 16 October 2023
TPC refuses Cambria Green rezoning
The Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) today brought down a decision to reject the Cambria Draft Amendment (Cambria Estate Draft Amendment AM 2018-03, Specific Area Plan and other amendments) proposed to facilitate a large-scale tourism-based development on more than 3,100 hectares outside Swansea village on Tasmania’s east coast.
“The East Coast Alliance welcomes this decision by the independent Tasmanian Planning Commission,” said Anne Held, President of the East Coast Alliance (ECA). “The planning amendment was lodged with Glamorgan Spring Bay Council by Cambria Green Agriculture and Tourism Management Pty Ltd over five years ago, in April 2018.”
The ECA’s purpose in forming was to support and represent those in the community who are not in support of the planning scheme amendment lodged by Cambria Green Agriculture and Tourism Management Pty Ltd in April 2018, and to stop the application being approved. The ECA currently represents almost 700 individuals and organisations across Tasmania and interstate opposed to Cambria Green.
The ECA has always questioned whether what is being proposed by the Applicant represents the most appropriate use of this land in terms of community amenity and well-being, local economy and the environment.
It is important to state the East Coast Alliance is not opposed to, and would support, appropriate, reasonable and sustainable development.
As stated in the TPC decision:
470. In summary, the Commission finds that the draft amendment:
• is not in accordance with section 32(4)(a) or (b);
• does not further objectives set out in Schedule 1;
• is not consistent with the relevant parts of the State Policy on the Protection of Agricultural Land 2009, the State Coastal Policy 1996 and the State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997; • is not, as far as practicable, consistent with the Southern Tasmania Regional Land Use Strategy 2010-2035.
471. The Commission rejects the draft amendment.
472. Having considered the alternative draft amendment, the reasons for rejecting the draft amendment apply equally to consideration of the alternative draft amendment. While lessening the impacts of the uses and potential developments that were proposed, the Commission is not satisfied that the alternative draft amendment addresses the fundamental zoning considerations or meets the criteria for the establishment of a SAP.
Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 16 October 2023
Cambria Green Rejected
The mega Cambria Green development that would have completely reshaped the east coast of Tasmania for the worse has been roundly rejected by the Tasmanian Planning Commission. Long live the spirit of all Tasmanians who love this island, and congratulations to the plucky members of the East Coast Alliance who have fought for over five years to protect its beauty and values.
The 2018 proposal from Beijing-based developers was to rezone private land around Cambria Green and establish a gargantuan tourist and retirement enclave on prime agricultural and coastal land. Across 12 titles on 3185 hectares, the original proposal included many hundreds of units, shops, a sky hotel, an aged care facility, a private airport and multiple golf courses.
The massive land use changes it planned would have had devastating impacts on the local community, water availability, and biodiversity, including the Ramsar-listed Moulting Lagoon.
The community swiftly responded to this over-development threat and established the East Coast Alliance. Thanks to their strong and concerted five-year fundraising and legal campaign, this development has now been rejected. The Tasmanian Planning Commission found it did not comply with state policies to protect coastal and agricultural land, water quality, or with the Planning Scheme and Regional Land Use Strategy.
The Cambria Green proposal was truly planning over-reach. The Liberals nurtured this dodgy development from at least 2015 through the misguided work of the Office of the Coordinator-General and their watered-down planning scheme. It will go down in Tasmanian history as a standout example of the community’s successful defence of our island’s special values against a development that would trash them.
The Greens sincerely hope the developer recognises this as the end of the road. The east coast has outstanding beauty that should be protected, and developments of any scale should be worked through in genuine consultation with the local community.
