Point Lonsdale association to speak up on DAL town boundaries

THE Point Lonsdale Civic Association (PLCA) will add its voice to a public hearing about town boundaries in the Bellarine Peninsula Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) program, and believes its stance is shared not only by neighbouring community groups but also the councils of the two municipalities involved.

There are divided views on the settlement boundaries laid out in the DAL’s draft Statement of Planning Policy (SPP), and Planning Minister Richard Wynne referred the relevant submissions earlier this month to an independent Standing Advisory Committee for further advice.

In an update recently sent to members after consultation with members from the Combined Bellarine Community Associations (CBCA), PLCA president David Kenwood said Mr Wynne’s decision was “an unexpected surprise as all indications were that the final decision was to be made by the Minister in 2021 – based on submissions and without a Planning Panel”, allowing for a slight delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some felt the decision to appoint a Planning Panel, was due to the publicity campaign waged by developers (and others), which included large advertisements in local press, or the possibility of a future legal challenge,” Mr Kenwood said.

Perhaps the most prominent ad from a developer was the “Open Letter to Daniel Andrews” in early September authorised by Melbourne planning and property consultancy Dominion Property Group and signed by representatives from 13 businesses.

Mr Kenwood said the SAC’s terms of reference to only consider settlement boundaries was also a surprise, but the PLCA’s submission was among the 131 referred to the SAC so it intended to speak to its submission at the public hearing, which begins on April 26.

He said the City of Greater Geelong’s Amendment C395 to its Planning Scheme had nearly the same settlement boundaries as the draft SPP.

“The Borough of Queenscliffe, we believe, also is on the ‘same page’ as COGG, in regards to settlement boundaries.

“It should be noted, the borough does not have the same pressures on Settlement Boundaries, due to its geographical position.

“This might mean, that COGG (and possibly the Borough) will appear at the Panel Hearing and make ‘our’ arguments for us – perhaps using highly skilled legal counsel.

“This has been mentioned anecdotally in discussions already.

“Of course, we cannot really be sure of this until it actually occurs.

“It would be very unusual that developers would make their arguments without utilising highly qualified legal counsel.

“The use of legal counsel by community groups would not be expected by the panel, and for that matter may be disadvantageous to our position.”

He said there was strong agreement among the CBCA on the “pressure points” on settlement boundaries in the DAL, which are the western border of Point Lonsdale, the western border of Barwon Heads, the entire boundaries of Drysdale and Portarlington, and in Ocean Grove to the west, east and north.