THE deal has almost been done according to Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale MP.
Land north of Seaward Drive in Cape Paterson has been excluded from the town boundary impacting on future residential rezoning of the area.
Expressing relief that after all this time the Planning Minister had supported the community John Coulter from the Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association said it had been a long process of open consultation.
According to Mr Coulter, everybody had a good chance to argue their case and it would be unreasonable to suggest there has been a denial of justice.
“The journey had strong community support and not just from the Residents and Ratepayers Association,” Mr Coulter said.
“There are significant features of the land that should be preserved.
“Reducing the boundary is the appropriate thing to do,” he said.
“Ninety per cent of respondents supported that reduction.”
Releasing the State Government’s draft Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) for the Bass Coast, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said it was a 50-year vision to manage land use and development in a way that preserves the region’s unique character.
“The Allan Labor Government is taking the next major step to safeguard the Bass Coast’s natural beauty and guide future growth in a way that respects the environment, community values, and cultural heritage,” said Minister Kilkenny.
Jordan Crugnale MP said the declaration would deliver on the State Government’s commitment to acknowledge the special significance of the Bass Coast and to protect its settlement boundaries and what we love and value now, and into the future.
Thanking everyone for their patience, visioning and submissions Ms Crugnale said the formal endorsement process is now with Bass Coast Shire Council and relevant public agencies so it can be finalised.
Planning Minister Kilkenny said Bass Coast was one of Victoria’s most environmentally significant regions home to the Bunurong Marine National Park, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Churchill Island and the Western Port Ramsar Wetlands.
“Its coastlines, farmland, wetlands and woodlands support native wildlife, tourism, agriculture and thriving local communities,” said Minister Kilkenny.
The next key step before the SPP can be finalised includes strategies to protect biodiversity, support climate resilience, and guide infrastructure planning.
More than 20 protected settlement boundaries have been proposed to clearly define where growth can occur and to help maintain the region’s natural, cultural and scenic values for generations to come according to the State Government.
Once approved Bass Coast will become just the fourth area in Victoria to have an SPP in place giving it the state’s highest level of long-term planning protection along with the Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast and Macedon Ranges.
“We have listened carefully to the inputs of local communities, and this draft policy lays the groundwork for long-term protections that will preserve what makes the Bass Coast so special for future generations,” said Planning Minister Kilkenny
The draft policy was developed with input from Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Bass Coast Shire Council, government agencies and authorities, and the Distinctive
Areas and Landscapes Standing Advisory Committee.
Project manager for land north of Seaward Drive, Wallis Watson, called for the Standing Advisory Committee to be reconvened to provide procedural fairness in relation to a decision which stands to restrict development in Cape Paterson for the next 50 years.
John Coulter from the Residents and Ratepayers Association said the idea was to put a protective boundary around small villages and townships.
“It isn’t locking anything into place for 50 years,” said Mr Coulter.
“Our understanding is the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DALs) program in Victoria requires a review of the Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) for each declared area no later than 10 years after its commencement,” he said.
There has already been significant growth in Cape Paterson with The Cape estate.
“How much can a small village expand without damaging what is already there?”
Mr Coulter noted there had been no funding for infrastructure.
The first priority according to Mr Coulter was to protect the environment and Marine National Park which adjoins Cape Paterson whether it is a hamlet, village or small town.
“Getting funding for the
Wonthaggi Life Saving Club is the next priority,” said Mr Coulter.
Bass Coast Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead welcomed confirmation that the Minister for Planning had approved the final draft of the Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy.
“It’s a milestone that we warmly welcome,” said Cr Halstead.
“This marks the culmination of more than seven years of collaborative work to protect Bass Coast’s significant economic, environmental, cultural, and community values through the introduction of protected settlement boundaries.”
The draft SPP was informed by strong community input during three rounds of public consultation according to Bass Coast Shire.
“It was also subject to an independent review by the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Standing Advisory Committee, which concluded in April 2023,” said Cr Halstead.
According to Cr Halstead, a report will be brought to Council for consideration at the June Council Meeting.
The endorsement process is expected to take place between June and July 2025.
For more information about the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes legislation, including the Bass Coast SPP go to engage.vic.gov.au/project/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/page/bass-coast.
