NEW BID TO PROTECT BELLS
SURF COAST Shire hass moved to increase protection for iconic surf mecca Bells Beach.
A new council amendment hopes to increase the area around the beach protected under the Significant Landscape Overlay Schedule and Rural Conservation Zone.
The move comes after a controversial tourist development near Bells was cleared by the state’s tribunal, despite Surf Coast Shire rejecting the plan and an anti-development petition signed by about 33,000 people.
The new amendment, up for discussion at council’s August 22 meeting and de- tailed in the latest agenda, “identifies the Bells Beach area or hinterland as being all land visible when travelling to the reserve from Bones, Addiscott and Jarosite Rd.”
This means an additional five properties would fall under the Significant Landscape Overlay Schedule and another two would be covered under the Rural Conservation Zone.
The council agenda says support for the amendment is based on the ongoing protection of the Bells Beach hinterland for its “highly significant landscape and environmental values”.
“Those supporting the amendment wish to see a prohibition on most development, particularly tourist or commercial developments,” the agenda states.
“The submitters believe that the natural environment should take precedence over all other factors when considering an application in the Bells Beach hinterland.
“Opponents are concerned with the restrictive nature of the controls. A number of landowners expressed that the current controls are sufficient.”
The proposed changes were open to public submissions from May 18 to June 19 and a “total of 43 submissions were received with 28 supporting and 15 objecting”.
The controversial Bells Beach tourist development cleared by VCAT is now free to be built in the hinterland adjacent to the popular surf beach and recreation reserve.
The permit allows the land owner to extend an “existing dwelling on the land and to use the extended building” for tourist accommodation in two attached dwellings.
The latest Surf Coast Shire agenda states the revised Bells protection scheme is strongly supported by the State Government.
“The strengthening of controls in the Bells Beach hinterland to protect this internationally significant area has been supported by the Minister for Planning,” it reads.
“Those supporting the amendment wish to see a prohibition on most development, particularly tourist or commercial developments.”