Council opposes early hearing

21 November 2011

Moreton Bay Regional Council has opposed Northeast Business Park’s attempts to move the  appeal in the Planning and Environment Court forward.

 It is now almost two years since Council refused a significant part of the North Harbour project and NEBP Pty Ltd had been working through the courts to appeal that decision.

 At a court appearance this month Council opposed going to a hearing until NEBP had received the entitlement from the State for works to be carried out over State resources. This was the subject of an earlier preliminary hearing and decision of the Court. NEBP is now seeking to have the appeal on the merits proceed and for the State resource entitlements to be obtained at a later date and before any work is actually carried out on the site. 

This has not been an issue for either State Government Department responsible for allocating those entitlements. Department of Environment and Resource Management and Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation have no objection to the hearing proceeding and for the entitlements to be obtained at a later date. 

Chief Executive Jeff Smith said the court hearing was expected to proceed in the new year, when the formality of resource entitlement was resolved. Unfortunately this appears to be heading towards another hearing on this preliminary issue before we can move forward on the real issues. 

“The costs of this dispute for the region’s ratepayers continue to escalate and we are no closer to a ruling,” he said.

 “We are determined to have the court hear the merits of our proposal but council is equally determined to put up road blocks.” 

“But we will continue to work through the process and will be back in court in January and hope to get a hearing date next year some time,” he said.

 - Ends-