Macedon Ranges Shire Council stands by its decision to reject an Amess Road development anticipated to urbanise and double the size of Riddells Creek.
The council maintains the proposal would create “a totally new character” that is “closer aligned with growth areas within metropolitan Melbourne in terms of lot size, housing type and subdivision layouts”.
It was part of MRSC’s submission to the Victorian Government detailing concerns of impacts on town character, infrastructure and environment, which councillors endorsed last week.
A decision on the development’s progression now lies with the Victorian Government as plans are now being considered through the state’s Development Facilitation Program.
The program is described as “an accelerated assessment pathway for eligible projects to inject investment into the Victorian economy, keep people in jobs and create homes for people”.
Currently under consideration is a planning scheme amendment and development application that would enable stage one of the Amess Road Precinct Structure Plan.
The Amess Road proposal seeks to develop 131.8 hectares to create about 1360 new households and 3808 new residents.
While the plan may qualify for DFP assessment, MRSC and the Riddells Creek community are united in their resolve for a better outcome.
“The current proposal does double the town’s population without adequate infrastructure to support it,” Mayor Annette Death said.
“The proposed lot sizes are not in keeping with the neighbourhood of Riddells Creek and the location of Amess Road also doesn’t enable connectivity with the township centre.
“The majority of what’s in Riddells Creek are blocks over 2000sm and that’s the character of Riddells Creek and why people move there.”
Cr Death said there were other options to provide more housing in the town.
“With over 300 sizeable lots close to the centre of town that could potentially be subdivided, that will assist with housing affordability and diversity and enable connectivity closer to the town centre,” she said.
“With a proposal in the south adding population growth with infill development, the town will be pushed beyond a ‘district town’, which is what it is classified as in the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme and more and more towards a large district town, which is just not consistent with the relevant policies.”
Cr Death acknowledged the community leading meaningful engagement since the beginning of the planning process in 2018.
“There have been more than 200 submissions, more than 1200 signatures on a petition and about 400 people attend a town meeting – that’s significant engagement from the community over what has been proposed,” she said.
“The concerns are not anti-development but about how we can ensure appropriate development.”
Also discussed was cultural heritage, the shire’s recognition as a distinctive area and landscape, and new information that Melbourne Water would not provide a Development Services Scheme, instead relying on the council.
Eight councillors present at the meeting supported the submission unanimously. Cr Christine Walker did not attend the meeting.
Public consultation on the process closed last week. Submissions will be assessed in July / August and the minister is expected to make an assessment and decision in August. A decision is expected to be made public in September.
The Minister for Planning has indicated the matter may be referred to the Priority Projects Standing Advisory Committee for further advice before a final decision.
