Mosman Council Motion on proposed Aged Care Facility on Middle Head

Mosman Council Revised motion v7 (4 March 2014)Motion:1. That Council recognises the excellent work done to date by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust2. The Council understands that the present proposal is in the process of being significantly amended. Nonetheless, at this time the original proposal remains3. That the General Manager convey the Council’s resolution to the Trust noting Council’s view that the previously proposed aged care facility should be rejected4. That Council welcomes consultations based on the as-yet-unseen amended aged care proposal and suggests that the Trust would need to be able to demonstrate a high level of public support for any significant aged care development, in preference to other options for the site5. That, in Council’s view, the previous proposal for an aged care facility on Middle Head has, on balance, entirely contrary to not been shown to be the best option to meet the objectives and mandate of the Trust, as defined by:i) the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act 2001 - Objects clause oblige the Trust “toii) the Trust’s Comprehensive Plan for all the sites, which includes a section ‘The protect, conserve and interpret the environmental and heritage values of Trust land” and “to maximise public access to Trust land”. One function of the Trust is “to promote appreciation of Trust land, in particular its environmental and heritage values”; Trust’s Approach to Planning’. It states “The Trust, by contrast, is seeking the most appropriate outcome, inspired by the intrinsic values of the lands, one that will be of most benefit to all Australians now and for the future.”iii) the aims of the Management Plan for Middle Head, which include “Regenerate and expand the bushland so that the sense of a ‘green’ gateway to Sydney Harbour is reinforced”6. That Council writes to Mosman’s Federal Member and to the Federal Minister of the Environment to advise them of Council’s resolution.7. That Council request the Minister of the Environment to consider a full assessment of any aged care facility on Middle Head under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, in order that the community is given an opportunity to express its views on the proposal.