Spring Creek fight goes on
TORQUAY residents have vowed to take their fight against the Spring Creek Valley development to the Planning Minister — despite an 11th-hour amendment by Surf Coast councillor David Bell to reduce the number of housing lots from 2120 to 2064.
Councillors on Tuesday unanimously voted to adopt a reworked Spring Creek Valley Precinct Structure Plan, squeezing in 283 more homes than initially planned.
Cr Bell successfully lobbied to have the 339 extra dwellings — recommended by council officers last week — reduced by 56 lots late in the evening.
The historic decision, marking the end of a 37-year-long saga, drew groans from some residents at the meeting.
Secretary of the 3228 Resi- dents Association Sue O’Shanassy said she and other concerned residents would write to MP Richard Wynne, requesting housing density be kept to a minimum.
“We had asked councillors in an email on Monday to not accept the higher density than what was in the original exhibited plan,” Ms O’Shanassy said.
“The concern is obviously that it is still a higher density than what we would have hoped. Considering we want to preserve the environment and the town, any increase is a worry.”
The Surf Coast council anticipates the precinct structure plan now will be forwarded for ministerial approval by Christmas.
Ms O’Shanassy said the association had “given up” pursuing any other avenues.
The Spring Creek development was set to accommodate 1781 lots before Planning Panels Victoria criticised the council’s proposed density.
Jan Juc resident Craig Hinton accused the council of “selling out” in favour of developers.
“This should have been pushed to the lowest density possible,” Mr Hinton said.
But Cr Heather Wellington celebrated the outcome as a “win for the community”.
“Once you agree to develop, you need to optimise the area you are developing,” Cr Wellington said.
“It’s going to be a beautiful development and we may end up there ourselves some day.”
However, the council refused to adopt the planning panel’s recommendation to leave Spring Creek’s west open to further development, vowing development would not proceed 1km west of Duffields Rd, in Jan Juc.