A 2300-home development will change the face of Clarkefield if approved and now the Victorian Government has opened consultation.
The move follows Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s calls for broad community awareness and input after the plans were referred to the state’s Development Facilitation Program.
Draft Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme Amendment – C164macr proposes a new district town at Clarkefield and the state government will decide the outcome.
Plans include subdivision of ‘phase one’, featuring a mixed-use town centre and about 2300 new dwellings with what is described as “affordable and key worker housing”.
The council had raised concern back in February over the lack of community awareness and input about the development.
Mayor Kate Kendall said the council was considering its own submission to the proposal, and encouraged the broader community to provide their own feedback.
“This is a significant proposal for not only Clarkefield, but also the entire Macedon Ranges. All residents should take the chance to view it and have your voice heard,” she said.
“With strong farming ties, and a peri-urban location including a train station, the future development of Clarkefield needs to be measured and carefully considered. Council intends to continue advocating for the best outcome for the community.”
In a recent response to the council, Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny confirmed that full public consultation would occur on a draft planning scheme amendment and combined planning permit application before any decisions were made.
While the proposal is relatively new, discussed in MRSC chambers in February, residents have already begun to air their thoughts. Some welcome a “spread of housing around the shire” and its proximity to services, some were surprised it hadn’t happened sooner, and others were concerned about the “suburbs creeping out”.
Macedon Ranges Residents Association secretary Christine Pruneau questioned the proposal’s density and appropriateness for the Macedon Ranges against the local planning scheme.
“84m2 lots? 50 per cent of 700+ lots under 200m2? What an ignorant proposal!” she said.
“Does the Minister even know where Macedon Ranges is? It’s not in the metro area or a growth area. It’s a rural shire. Does she know her government said we were protected from this type of destructive development?
“This is a Distinctive Area and Landscape. Instead of breaching the Act and Statement of Planning Policy, read them and stop this greedy disgrace immediately.”
The consultation and accompanying documents are now available to view on the Engage Victoria website: engage.vic.gov.au
Feedback is open until June 1.
