Tighter planning pledge
STRONGER planning laws are all but confirmed for the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula, with the State Opposition matching Labor’s commitment to legislate town boundaries and height controls in the two regions.
The Coalition will today announce a pre-election pledge to set permanent restrictions as part of an effort to protect Geelong’s coastal towns from “overdevelopment”.
It comes days after the State Government announced similar plans if it wins the November election.
Under the shared objective, any attempt to change the town boundaries would need to be passed by Parliament.
South Barwon MP Andrew Katos said the policy was recognition that development needed to slow down in certain areas.
“Obviously the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula are not areas we want endless growth occurring. It’s not going to work,” he said.
The issue of development has long been a hot topic in the region, particularly in Torquay, where locals have rallied against plans to build housing at Spring Creek.
In 2014, Mr Katos was a member of the former Coalition Government that controversially approved development at Spring Creek, which is west of the main Torquay township. He defended the decision, arguing the development was within town boundaries set by the previous Labor Government.
“Growth (on the Surf Coast) has been an issue for the past 10 years, going back to the Brumby government,” Mr Katos said.
“For them to put their hand in the air and blame other people is hypocrisy. The town boundaries moved in (former Labor planning minister) Justin Madden’s time.
“But the fact is it’s been done. Now we have to look forward and try and protect and preserve what is there.”
Liberal candidate for Bellarine Brian McKiterick said overdevelopment in his seat was a significant concern for the community.
“If elected, I’ll be ensuring that those concerns are heard,” he said.
Labor’s Bellarine MP Lisa Neville last week said her party’s commitment was “critical” to ensure the protection of local character.
“Ultimately there will be and must be a limit to development — the current boundaries provide some ability to grow, especially in the main towns, but this cannot be endless without destroying the Bellarine community,” she said.
But Opposition planning spokesman David Davis accused Labor of being “hypocrites” for voting down a Bill amendment in May that would have restricted development on the Bellarine Peninsula.
“Now, after having let things rip for years, they appear to have had a last-minute conversion with the election breathing down their neck,” he said.
Mr Davis will join Mr McKiterick at a forum in Ocean Grove on October 18, where strategic development in the area will be discussed.