Labor Councillors have caved to a swell of community pressure, introducing minor changes to the destructive Inner West Council Tree Development Control Policy (DCP) passed on 27 August.
Councillors were advised last night that enforcement of the amended DCP could be successfully challenged in court because it was significantly different to the version of the DCP which went through public consultation.
Ahead of last night’s meeting, Jamie Parker MP submitted 2,457 petition signatures from residents opposed to the amended Tree Development Control Plan to Labor Mayor Darcy Byrne and conservative independent Deputy Mayor Victor Macri.
Jamie Parker says:
“In the last three weeks, almost 2,500 local residents have mobilised against this disastrous new tree policy.
“The minor amendments passed last night don’t resolve the fundamental problems with this policy. There is still a blanket approval to remove trees without Council approval which will impact the entire inner west tree canopy.
“This should be a wake-up call to the Inner West Council that our community cares about nature and wants to preserve trees and greenspace.
“It’s alarming that Labor Councillors tried to cut residents out by ignoring all the findings of the compulsory public consultation process,” he says.
Greens Councillor Rochelle Porteous says:
“Councillors were advised last night that the amended DCP was in fact illegal and could be challenged in court if Council tried to enforce it.
“The tree policy with minor amendments will now go back out on public exhibition. This policy still a disaster for our inner west tree canopy.
“I strongly encourage all residents to make a submission and tell the Inner West Council we need to protect local trees, not make it easier to tear them down,” said Cr Rochelle Porteous.
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