Today, Thursday July 16th, Roland Browne, barrister for Save Ralphs Bay Inc. will give his Closing Submission in the RPDC Hearings on the proposed Ralphs Bay canal estate.

The submission will review Save Ralphs Bay’s many concerns in relation to the proposed development, including destruction of internationally significant bird habitat, disturbance of heavy metals, visual impacts, loss of community cohesion, traffic problems, and lack of a strategic planning basis for the proposed development.

Clarence City Council will also make a closing submission to the Panel this morning.

The Walker Corporation’s Closing Submission on Friday will bring to an end over 4 weeks of RPDC Hearings on the Draft Integrated Impact Statement for the proposed canal estate development on the site of the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area.

The proposed “Lauderdale Quay” development would be the first canal estate in Tasmania.  Victoria banned canal estates in December 2008, while in NSW such developments have been banned since 1997.

“Lauderdale Quay” was declared a Project of State Significance by the Tasmanian government in 2006.

The four previous Tasmanian Projects of State Significance were, Gunns Pulp Mill proposal (withdrawn from RPDC assessment 2007), Basslink (approved 2002), Oceanport Hobart (rejected 1999), Taiwan Pulp and Paper Corporation (1996; did not proceed).

Save Ralphs Bay Inc.