Wildlife not buildings on the Lower Holt

Concerns about Frensham's DA in relation to the Lower Holt

Dear Frensham old girl,

 

People who are yet to sign this petition and some that have are asking for more information about the concerns around Development Application 20/0747 in regards to developing the Lower Holt for student accommodation buildings and multi-purpose hall and also what is currently happening.

 

I have responded below drawing some issues from the comments of the Old Girls who have already signed this petition.  

 

Concerns with this DA include:

 

1) Building an Outward-Bound/Timbertop kind of experience on land right next to Mittagong town is just a bad idea in the first place. A bush experience can be gained without destroying the bush by walking 10 minutes from the main campus and or camping.  

 

2) Having a place like the Lower Holt was an important part of the founding philosophy of the School.  Winifred West viewed this space as important for the joy and freedom it would bring to all who knew it. “Countless people have found its peace to be a great source of renewal. It is a priceless possession to all Frensham people” 

 

The fact that the Company that now runs the School is planning to develop this space, makes many of us concerned that they are losing sight of the important things that have made Frensham what it is.  

 

Frensham has always taken pride in its environmental stewardship and being a part of the community. This development and the lack of consultation around it appears to undermines these values.  

 

3) Tearing down a natural habitat to teach students about nature is self-defeating - why destroy to educate? Why not implement more programs to teach students how to preserve it instead? And get lessons about botany, geology and geography along the way. 

 

4)  Whilst the area beneath the actual buildings may be only 0.8 hectares, the Rural Fire Service dictates the amount of cleared land that is required as an Asset Protection Zone around these buildings. This increases the area of the land clearing to 4.2 hectares which includes the roadways, passing bays, turning circles, utilities areas etc.

 

5) Despite the fact the school claims this new development will be a unique area without adverse ecological impact, there are many that claim there will be much adverse impact which is why the Council asked that Development Application be DEFERRED due to significant public concern about environmental impacts and incremental loss, fragmentation and vulnerability of this Endangered Ecological Community (Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands) and the potential long term and irrevocable habitat impacts associated with this development including (but not limited to) koala feed trees. 

 

6) The School has claimed that the site does not compromise any published or identified regional corridors, flyways or other habitat connectivity features.  This is contested. This location in the Lower Holt is an important “pinch point” in the “Primary Biodiversity Corridor” between Mt Gibraltar and Mt Alexandra.

 

7) Mean behavior- the School was happy to get a local person to run a program with Frensham students to rehabilitate wombats at the Lower Holt. One of the wombats was even named after Winifred West. The School happily promoted this program via public relations channels such as videos as a means of demonstrating that the girls were environmentally responsible. The thing is this was probably happening at the very same time as the School were planning this development right over the top of this ancient" wisdom" of wombats. 

 

8) Which comes to the last issue which has raised its head since we have created this petition which while not directly relation to the DA, raises concerns about the lack of consultation by the School including addressing the concerns of stakeholders like old girls who appear to have no clear avenues to raise concerns or have them addressed. 

 

We are yet to receive a date for the Information Session about this development that the School has promised nor a response from the Board to Old Girls concerns raised in this petition.  Apparently the Board is not required to respond.  

 

Perhaps it is time for the Company to relook at the original values of the School. We are not writing this petition because we are against Frensham because we are trying to preserve what we hold very dear to our hearts.

 

Please feel free to contact me via this inbox and share this petition to other old girls as we would like to take it back to the School before they spend anymore money in the Land and Environment Court.

 

Please do not sign this petition if you are not an old girl as the school will not view this petition as legitimate if it isn't old girls who sign it.

 

There is a petition created by Winzero.com.au for members of the community.

Lower Holt

Dear Frensham old girl,

Many of you would have received an email last night from the headmistress of Frensham laying out some of the Schools reasons and approach to the proposed development of the Lower Holt. 

If you no longer would like your name on this petition then please feel free to take your name off or I can do this for you. 

It reads

We the undersigned old girls ask Frensham to abandon the DA to develop the lower Holt and take steps to protect it in line with the Upper Holt and Winifred West’s original vision

To date

This petition has now been presented separately to both the Board and headmistress of the School. A formal acknowledgment of receipt of this petition has been received from the Headmistress only.

This petition is still live

An information day about the development will be held by Frensham at a date to be announced- there will be opportunity to present concerns in regards to this development at this meeting. 

This will occur after the development application has proceeded to the Land and Environment Court this Monday.

A number of Frensham old girls are continuing to work hard to stop this application.

There are a number of community organisations who are challenging this development. You can read their point of view at WinZero and Wombatised. 

Feel free to reply to this correspondence or if you would like your name removed.

Kind Regards Sarah

Frensham old girls petition in relation to Lower Holt

Hi everyone,

I've noticed that this petition has now been signed by a wider audience than just old girls,  which I've been told has compromised the validity of this petition. So please if you're not an old girl - would you mind taking your name off this petition?

It reads:  

We the undersigned old girls ask Frensham to abandon the DA to develop the Lower Holt and take steps to protect it in line with the Upper Holt and Winifred West’s original vision

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