Newcastle Herald 01/11/2002

Clearing causes uproar

CONTROVERSY has flared over tree clearing for a road design in Cessnock's proposed Tomalpin industrial subdivision. Cessnock Greens councillor Claire Cosh has been `outraged' by council staff approving the clearing before the city's elected councillors have debated an application to approve the road.

Her concerns are shared by community group Friends of Tumblebee. The clearing will allow detailed design work. It was approved last Monday and the councillors are not due to consider the road building application before next Wednesday.

The council general manager Col Cowan dismissed Cr Cosh's complaint. He said the State Government gazetted an amendment to Cessnock Shire's local environment plan last Friday that allowed council staff to approve minor clearing to permit investigation on the site. `... We're talking about a limited amount of clearing, I understand only four saplings were removed,' he said.