ROSS Keys said he intends to fight a demolition order to remove the remaining granny flat, storage area and double garage from his Lewis Street property.
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The Old Bar property owner is frustrated by the length of time it has taken for the NSW Coastal Panel and the NSW Minister for Environment to sign off on Greater Taree City Council's coastal zone management plan (which includes a two kilometre revetment wall at Old Bar), that it adopted in May.
"For the past two months the council has had a standing policy of protection (for Old Bar) and they are waiting for the plan to be signed off on."
Until that happens, he said residents are "stuck" and cannot go out and protect their own property.
"This is critical... why don't they sign it? It's frustrating."
In 2008, Mr Keys complied with council's order to demolish two structures one on each of his two Lewis Street properties.
He and his family have lost millions of dollars of investment and feel the new notice of intention has taken them back six years.
"I feel like we are back at where we started - another demolition. But when council has a policy and it is supposed to be now protected, that is unacceptable to me."
Mr Keys has returned to Sydney to work to pay for the properties, which he is losing to the ocean.
His concern also extends to his neighbours.
"You can't sell in Old Bar, the valuers don't want to touch them and the banks won't loan money on them."
Just recently a bank foreclosed on one of his neighbouring properties and he said there is no confidence in buying in Old Bar and that the seaside village is "stagnating" because of the uncertainty.
"Until (the coastal zone management plan) is signed, nothing will change.
"I feel for council. They're not the bad ones here. They have a policy and they have a plan waiting to be signed off."
In 2011, residents of Lewis Street, including the management of the Meridian Resort, took a proactive approach in the aim of protecting their properties.
They sought approval from the panel to build a protective seawall across their beach frontage, to slow down the relentless wave and wind action gouging away at their grounds.
But their application was rejected by the NSW Coastal Panel because the panel was not satisfied that the likely impact of the works on the beach and adjacent lands could be adequately managed.
"Now we are not doing anything," said My Keys.
"Effectively they've taken away our rights."
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