Council wrote to the Go Ape applicant in September, expressing Council’s (and
our) concerns about the proposal. The applicant replied on 7 October, asking for
30 days to respond to those concerns.
So, it’s still a waiting game. Given the 30 day response time, it will probably
be the first week or two in November before there is any more news. I’ll harrass
Adam Dean at Council around that time 
Di
The latest people to have to fight Go Ape are The Friends of Itchen Valley Country Park, which is near Southampton in the UK.
This YouTube video was posted by Go Ape themselves! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear that resonating across Bidjigal Reserve?
I wonder how many of Go Ape’s planning applications in the UK mentioned drumming workshops for 50 people. Or did their DA’s also say, “No power is used, so no noise is created”?
We recently received a couple of emails of support from people involved in Pollok Park‘s successful fight against a Go Ape development.
From Lisa:
Hey Campaigners!
I just wanted to send you a message of solidarity from Glasgow, Scotland, where I’m sure you will know, we recently successfully managed to prevent a Go-Ape development in Pollok Park. Best of luck with fighting the project and the reams of red tape I am sure your elected members and officials will wrap themselves in.
It can be done and you can win!
And from Scott:
Good luck guys and gals.
We had to fight for two years to save our local Pollok Park in Glasgow.
Hope you can do the same.
Page 3 of the Hills Shire Times this week carries a story about the Lands Department urging the Bidjigal Reserve Trust Board to reconsider its decision not to proceed with the Go Ape proposal. Lands (or The Land and Property Management Authority, as it now is) appears to be making this recommendation based purely on the Go Ape DA, without any consideration of the proposal’s many, many shortcomings, or of the objections received by Council.
We are still waiting on the next stage of the DA process, as outlined in Michael’s What’s Next? post. We should have news from Council by early next week – we hope!
Di
On 6 October 2009, Council sent out notes taken at the Go Ape Conciliation Conference held on 7 September. We’re providing them here for anyone who wasn’t at the conference or didn’t get a copy.
The accompanying letter from Cameron McKenzie (Group Manager – Environment and Planning for The Hills Shire Council) invites you to contact Adam Dean of Council’s Environment and Planning Services on 9843 0352 should you have any enquiries.
Feel free to leave comments here too!
Di