Point Plomer road sealing

Since 1997, Kempsey Shire Council has considered various reports about options for the maintenance and sealing of Point Plomer Road, and community views both for and against.

The project was identified as a priority in Council's 2017-21 Delivery Program under improvements to the local transport network.

After extensive consideration, Council resolved in October 2018 to seek grant funding to seal two gravel sections of Point Plomer Road located to the north of Big Hill, totalling 6.2km in length.

Kempsey Shire Council maintains an 11.8km length of the road from Crescent Head Road to Big Hill, where the road enters Limeburners Creek National Park. Of this 11.8km section, 5.6km of the road is already sealed with the two gravel sections of 4km and 2.2km remaining.

The decision to seal the road was largely based on enhancing road user safety given the high traffic volumes experienced along the road - particularly during holiday periods - and reducing ongoing maintenance costs. 

The cost to bitumen seal the two gravel sections of the road maintained by Kempsey Shire Council is approximately $3.6 million.

The NSW Government has approved a grant for $2.88 million under the Regional Growth - Environment and Tourism Fund for the sealing works. This will enable Council to deliver the project at minimal cost to the community which in turn enables Council to divert funds to other roadworks in the Shire.

Work is currently in progress and it is expected that the sealing of Point Plomer Road will be completed by the end of 2021.

Transport for NSW is the authority that determines speed zones. After the road is sealed, Transport for NSW will assess the road design and surrounding environment to determine the speed zones that will apply.

It is expected that new speed zones will be implemented before Christmas 2021.

The key reasons for sealing the road are improved road safety and a reduction in annual maintenance costs.

High volumes of traffic use Point Plomer Road and Council cannot always maintain the road in a safe condition, presenting a risk to users’ safety and the potential for vehicle damage.

The condition of the road often deteriorates rapidly when adverse weather conditions are combined with holiday period traffic volumes. Budgetary constraints mean it is not always practical for Council to restore the road to a safe condition outside the maintenance schedule.

In the four years from 2013 to 2017, police received reports of five crashes occuring in the gravel section. There were no reported crashes on the sealed parts of the road.

Council has spent $170,000 a year, on average, in maintenance, grading and gravel resheeting to keep the unsealed section of Point Plomer Road safe and accessible.

Taking into account the that sealing the road will alter asset depreciation costs and reduce the gravel road maintenance budget, sealing Point Plomer Road will result in an approximate annual saving of $60,000.

Sealing the road will also reduce the risk exposure of Council, provide amenity improvement to residents along the road, encourage active transport uses such as walking and riding, and reduce dust and gravel being deposited in the surrounding environment.

Council recognises that sections of the community have concerns about the potential for increased visitation to the Point Plomer and Crescent Head areas once the road is sealed.

The decision to seal the road is not related to land zoning or development, it is about improving safety and amenity while reducing maintenance costs for ratepayers.

In response to community interest in the issue, Council resolved at its December 2018 meeting to develop a local character statement to help reflect the current character of the Point Plomer area.

Council will engage with the community to define the desired character of the area into the future as part of legislated local strategic planning works.

Local Strategic Planning Statement

The sealing of the road does not change the zoning of the land and the type of development that is permissible.

With the exception of the National Park area (zoned E1), the current zoning of the land along Point Plomer Road is E2 – Environmental Conservation, E3 – Environmental Management and E4 – Environmental Living. These zonings are defined within the Kempsey Shire Local Environmental Plan 2013.

There is a character statement regarding the Point Plomer Coastline within the Local Strategic Planning Statement, which was adopted by Council in 2020. This lists maintaining the existing character of the area as a priority. This strengthens existing development controls and should hopefully allay community concern about development in the area inconsistent with the existing character and planning controls. 

No sealing work is proposed beyond Big Hill, so the road through the national park area will remain gravel and be largely restricted to vehicles with 4WD capability.

The alignment of the sealed road will be largely unchanged from the existing road, which will limit the impact on roadside vegetation.

Sealing the road will eliminate or substantially reduce sediment run-off and dust generation which currently impacts the surrounding environment.

Council undertook an environmental assessment before any sealing works to ensure any potential impacts were identified and mitigated, such as flora, fauna and Indigenous and European heritage considerations.

Council recognises that the surrounding environment is of high value and cultural significance. For this reason the environmental assessment process was undertaken in a comprehensive manner to comply with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

This assessment included heritage considerations. Aboriginal heritage was a key reason the road was originally designed along the existing road corridor. The sealed road is largely being built on top of the existing gravel road.

Applications were made under sections 18, 9 and 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (ATSIHP) Act 1984 on 10 February 2021 with regard to the length of Point Plomer Road.

At the time, the Department Agriculture, Water and the Environment decided not to make an emergency declaration under section 18 of the ATSIHP Act.

Council provided a comprehensive submission following Council's representation lodged on 22 July 2021.

On 5 October 2021, Council received a letter from the Hon Sussan Ley MP, Minister for the Environment, advising of her decision not to make a declaration under section 9 given she was “not satisfied the specified area is under serious and immediate threat”.

The Hon Susan Ley MP also provided a Statement of Reasons regarding her decision which provides further analysis.

As of November 2021 a determination is yet to be made on the section 10 application.