I read with a heavy heart the letter from Clr Mahoney (26 Feb) regarding FSPA . In a crippling housing crisis, the NSW Government has set a target to deliver 314,000 new homes by 2029. Instead of sharing this responsibility, Georges River Council's Biodiversity and Foreshore Planning Proposal inflates minimum lot sizes to 1,000 square metres for dual occupancies and slashes the Floor Space Ratio to a flat 0.5:1. This makes new, diverse housing nearly impossible to build.

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Banning modest, eco-friendly density near train stations forces development outward into urban sprawl, says Georges River councillor, Ben Wang.

These restrictions bear a heavy human cost: young families facing cost-of-living pressures are priced out, and elderly residents are left with fewer choices for retirement downsizing in the suburbs they love. While pushed under the guise of "scenic protection," these bans apply to highly accessible, inland suburbs near transit hubs like Oatley Station that have no actual visibility from the river. Banning modest, eco-friendly density near train stations forces development outward into urban sprawl, destroying untouched green lands. By contrast, building "up" near transit allows us to free up ground space for trees and greenery.

Crucially, this approach creates a severely unequal "two-tier" LGA. Shielding wealthy foreshore enclaves as a geographical bunker forces residents in suburbs like Hurstville and Kogarah to absorb all the state-mandated population density and lose their own green open space. Although the public exhibition closes on March 30, 2026 the conversation must continue. The residents can still contact the councillors and NSW DPHI, as this restrictive proposal has to be formally approved by DPHI.

Environmental plan

George's River Council need to revisit their Local Environmental Plan with particular reference to the following aim, "to protect, preserve and enhance the natural landform, vegetation and open space." GRC, including Councillors, have done nothing to protect the native flora and fauna within Church Street Reserve, Blakehurst which was once occupied by cockatoos including the rare Black Cockatoo and native trees including diminishing Eucalypts, Wattle and Bottlebrush. Sections of the Reserve are increasingly being damaged for recreational purposes. This ongoing disturbance is not only degrading the landscape but also destroying fragile habitats, uprooting native vegetation, and further threatening the already declining wildlife that depends on this area. Proper maintenance and commitment to the aims within the Plan need to be enforced by GRC.

Reckless overdevelopment

Is it possible to talk about this reckless overdevelopment? How do we as a community push back? Why are we even doing this? Has anyone stopped to ask. What are population targets and who even makes them up? How much revenue is government reaping from the continuous subdivision of land that is not making housing any more affordable?

Cyclists on streets

Could Councillors please ban adult cyclists from the main footpath between 8am and 8pm? I hear it's illegal for anyone over 14 to ride on the footpath, with a $450 fine. Delivery Rider's are the worst offenders. It is highly dangerous while people are eating alfresco on Railway Pde. They often tear through the footpath.

Petrol crisis: Where to from here?

As I sit at the bus stop and watch traffic flowing along King Georges Road, Beverly Hills, I wonder where we go with the petrol and diesel crisis which are beyond our national control.

Then along the road passes council trucks and garbage trucks. Are they petroleum fueled or have they been replaced by new green power available. When we look at other local council news releases, it is interesting to note the number of urban and regional councils introducing electric and hydrogen power. Solar power farms are built on land and buildings available. The state government is encouraging such changes.

In the Illawarra Region three councils have introduced Hydrogen powered garbage truck fleets with Hydrogen produced in the region. Instead of polluting fumes, they break down to hydrogen and water. Was this considered, when new contracts were introduced last year.

Other councils have introduced electric powered garbage and other types of trucks with self generating batteries. What a financing saving.

I am aware Georges River contracted with Moree for green electricity and Hurstville Council introduced solar panels. When the bus arrives it is often an electric powered bus. Last year drivers said that all diesel buses would be replaced by last Christmas. Sadly that did not happen. How much more fuel would be available if this had happened?

Heavy vehicles are now available using non petroleum power.

To their credit the state government is funding new electric vehicles.

It is quite a long time since Mayor Greene had his pic taken with the council's first electric car. The question is what has happened with the council fleet since then. Technology is advancing. Who is charged with saving the ratepayers money with these new technologies?