CABARITA Beach Dunecare is outraged it will be unable to plant trees on National Tree Day in an area earmarked for future development.

For the past two years, the volunteer Dunecare group, with pupils from Bogangar Primary School, has planted trees in the areas across the road from the school.

Their request for permission to continue this year has been refused by Tweed Shire Council.

The council’s general manager, Mike Rayner, said the Tweed Dunecare Co-ordinating Committee had been advised by the council’s natural resource management unit that the site was inappropriate because it was part of the southern development precinct in the Bogangar/Cabarita Beach Locality Plan.

“There are any number of unencumbered sites nearby,” Mr Rayner said.

“It would be an irresponsible use of public funds to plant trees on land earmarked, though not approved, for development.

“Development may well occur on this site.”

Cabarita Beach Dunecare co-ordinator Ashley Baldry said he was concerned for a number of reasons.

“Firstly it means work we did with the school children over the past two years is under threat from this caravan park development,” Mr Baldry said.

“Secondly, the Tweed Coast Holiday Park Reserve Trust, who want to develop the caravan park, claim that this land is degraded so they should be allowed to bulldoze it to build their park.

“It is worrying that the council would refuse permission to a volunteer community group working to regenerate this area.”