Residents lobby against sports site sale

NEARLY thirty residents are pushing back against Golden Plains Shire’s plan to rezone the northern section of Bannockburn’s recreation precinct.

The move was made during a regular meeting in March 2021 when 3.5 hectares of the land was deemed surplus with the aim of subdividing and selling it as residential property.

Josh Trowell is one of the people campaigning against the plan, and said the site can still be used for additional sporting and community venues.

“That land has the potential to be used for a range of different uses,” he said.

“I think council’s being really shortsighted in saying they don’t need this land right now for a footy oval or something when years later they may need it.

“A lot of the residents have also bought their houses at a premium that are directly opposite the park and they’re obviously very upset with the expectation that park’s going to stay there.

“It’s been reserved for a park, and there’s a whole heap it could be used for. There’s been talk of a swimming pool, even now it’s just a great place to walk your dog or fly a kite.”

The municipality lodged the move as a Planning Scheme amendment, and the proposal went to the Minister for Planning whose office carried out community consultation.

Two Planning Panels Victoria hearings are slated with the first session to be held next Wednesday followed by a second proceeding in early September.

Mr Trowell said he isn’t happy with the lack of community engagement in 2021.

“If they had have consulted properly, I think they would’ve found out how many are actually against this,” he said.

“They’ve decided it off their own back and left the consultation process to the State Government.”

A Golden Plains Shire spokesperson said the community has been made aware of the plan.

“Consultation has been completed by the relevant planning authority, which in this case was the Minister for Planning,” the spokesperson said.

“Council will conduct community engagement as required by section 114 of the Local Government Act 2020 at the time that council determines to sell the land.

“The profits from the sale of this land will be placed in a recreation fund to be used to support new recreation infrastructure for the growing municipality.”

Should the land be rezoned, 51 residential lots are set to be proposed following subdivision.

Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham opposed the original decision in 2021 alongside Cr Les Rowe, but left the regular council meeting during the item’s revisitation in February due to a declared conflict of interest.

Cr Rowe attempted to pull back on the decision but was outvoted with only himself and Cr Ian Getsom in support of the motion.

Director of infrastructure and environment Phil Josipovic said during the meeting that the land was unsuitable to cater for the Bannockburn Growth Plan, which outlined a need for at least two football ovals and netball courts.

Between lobbying to the municipality, including with a petition created in March which has reached nearly 1000 signatures, Mr Trowell said their concerns have gone unheard.

“We don’t feel like we’re being listened to by council,” he said.

“They haven’t done any strategic work around how this land can be used, and they haven’t spoken to the community.

“Once they lose that public land, they won’t be able to get it back.”