Councillors demand state action after 17-month delay on MidCoast environment plan

A MidCoast councillor has called on the state government to “pull their finger out” and rubber stamp a land use plan that has sat in the approval pipeline for 17 months.

The draft MidCoast Local Environmental Plan (LEP), which dictates how land can and can’t be used in the MidCoast LGA, was submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) in February 2025, and was expected to be signed off on two months later. 

Frustrated councillors: At a council meeting on June 29, councillors were quick to voice their displeasure with the delay. 

• “What more can we do or say in this room to get the state government to … pull their finger out and just get this thing done so we can all move on with our lives,” councillor Thomas O’Keefe said.

Councillor Jeremy Miller slammed a lack of updates from the department.

• “We haven't even got tumbleweeds. We'd appreciate tumbleweeds. That’d be something,” Miller said.

Local impacts of state delay: The draft plan sets out rules for land use and development within the MidCoast LGA. 

It is a consolidation of three existing LEPs, one each for the Manning, Great Lakes and Gloucester regions.

The council says the delay is impacting housing delivery, planning certainty, and protection of critical drinking water supplies. 

Development delays: In a letter to DPHI, sent following the council meeting, council general manager Adrian Panuccio sought confirmation of the expected approval timeframe and assistance to resolve any “matters delaying finalisation”.

Pannuccio said the continued delay is “creating uncertainty for council, the development industry and the community”.

Government response: A DPHI spokesperson told the Mid North Coaster the department is working with council to finalise the draft plan “as quickly as possible”.

The DPHI has sought more information from MidCoast Council, which it intends to supply this week.