Developer ire grows

New threat of legal action over Spring Creek retreat

A DEVELOPER in Spring Creek has repeated its threat of legal action after Labor revealed it wants to scrap a major residential project in the valley.

As revealed in the Geelong Advertiser yesterday, the Andrews Labor Government has stated that it believes Torquay’s western town boundary should be pulled back 1km to Duffields Rd.

Such a move would effectively end plans to build more than 2000 homes in the Spring Creek valley.

If re-elected to government next month, the party has said it would hold community consultation before finalising a decision on the town boundary.

But the revelation of its position has caused more concern among developers, who are considering suing the State Government if the residential project is shelved.

Development company Parklea, which has around 350 lots at Spring Creek, has said it will be forced to “act accordingly” to protect its investors.

“Our investors are mumand-dad investors,” director Don Welsh said yesterday.

“They’re working-class people and their savings are at risk. I’ve got an obligation to act in their best interests.”

Mr Welsh said the develop- ment would lead to a “wider community benefit”, particularly for Jan Juc residents, who would have closer access to new services and infrastructure including a primary school.

Parklea had been hoping to start construction next year.

The other major developer at Spring Creek — Amex Corporation — declined to comment on Labor’s announcement.

The shifting of Labor’s position came weeks after its candidate for South Barwon, Darren Cheeseman, said he would advocate for the development to be abandoned.

But Mr Cheeseman did not directly respond to a question on the prospect of a law suit.

“Labor believes that Torquay’s boundary should stop at Duffields Rd, and we’ll give the community a say over this — a say that was denied to them by (former Liberal planning minister) Matthew Guy,” Mr Cheeseman said.

In contrast to Labor, the Coalition has declared it will maintain Torquay’s existing town boundary if it is elected, meaning the development would go ahead.

South Barwon state Liberal MP Andrew Katos accused Labor of misleading the community in a bid for votes, claiming the party had no intention of repealing the town boundary.

“This is just one mess of a policy from the Labor Party. The positions are flip-flopping all over the place,” he said.

“This is something the (planning) minister could do immediately today with the stroke of a pen, but they’re not doing that.

“If it’s the official policy of the Labor Party to do this, why have they waited four years?”

The Greater Torquay Alliance, a local lobby group opposed to the development, said it was “good news” that Labor had adopted Mr Cheeseman’s position.

But it added there was a “long road ahead” before Duffields Rd became the town’s western boundary.