‘Zombie’ housing approvals, some buried for up to 40 years, are rising from the dead in #NSW
“Zombie DAs”, as they have been dubbed, have become an issue along the NSW coast, where incoming residents can be surprised to learn nearby patches of coastal #bushland had residential #developments approved years ago. As more works begin, many are now calling on the state government to step in and require developments to meet modern environmental and planning standards."
“Our concern is that an old development can clear a site when we know that the science and community expectations has changed – and that legally they’re allowed to do that. A key problem...is that development approvals “exist forever” so long as they completed minor work that qualifies as substantial commencement."

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/30/zombie-housing-approvals-some-buried-for-up-to-40-years-are-rising-from-the-dead-in-nsw
#SouthWestRocks #MidNorthCoast #Bushland #Clearing #DormantDAs #Sprawl #Biodiversity #Regulations