HPG has been advised that the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, has determined that the Harbour Trust’s Middle Head / Gubbuh Gubbuh Renewal Project (Project) is a ‘Controlled Action’. You may recall that the Project proposes demolishing the heritage timber Barracks at Middle Head to create a 2.6-metre-wide pathway and landscaped open space for events.
The Minister’s decision is indeed good news, as HPG and its supporters advocated that the Minister determine the Project to be a ‘Controlled Action’ and subject to further scrutiny.
A ‘Controlled Action’ means that the Minister requires further information from the Harbour Trust to assess the Project’s impacts prior to him making any decision to approve the Project.
Accordingly, the Harbour Trust must publish the information requested by the Minister for public comment for at least 10 business days.
This provides a further opportunity for the community, to ‘Have Your Say’ prior to the Minister making his final decision as to whether to approve the Project or not, and if approve, determine the conditions to be attached to the approval.
HPG understands that the Department received 100 submissions regarding this matter.
We will continue to advocate for the retention of the Barracks and the protection of the heritage and environmental values of Middle Head. We will keep our supporters informed of the Minister’s progress in the assessment of this matter.