A document built to protect Macedon Ranges’ distinctive areas and landscapes is being “ignored” and lacks power, Macedon Ranges Shire councillors say.
While Macedon Ranges was the first declared Distinctive Area Landscape in 2018, the council says vital steps have lagged that would ensure its special protection.
The Macedon Ranges Statement of Planning Policy 2019 is still yet to be incorporated into the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme.
Launched in 2020, the MRSPP was described as a 50-year strategy that specified protected settlement boundaries for the townships of Kyneton, Lancefield, Riddells Creek and Woodend that required parliamentary approval to change.
However, incorporating the document into the scheme is the only way to ensure its strategies and objectives are given full legal weight in land use and development decisions.
Advocating for action last week, Cr Jennifer Anderson said until the document was incorporated it was just a document to be referenced.
“We all speak about how important our landscapes, biodiversity, environment and waterways are,” she said.
“What is the point, when declaring something a distinctive area and landscape, we’re working so hard as a council with our staff and community, to get a document to outline what is important here and what needs protection, if it is not in the planning scheme; it just sits there?
“It’s a document on the shelf. It can be referenced but it may not be used as effectively as we need it to protect the beautiful place in which we live.”
Cr Rob Guthrie said the community fought hard to retain landscape protections from 1975 following changes to state planning in 2000. However, he said without incorporating the MRSPP into the planning scheme there were “no requirements”.
“Although it says responsible authorities must comply with it, VCAT ignores it, and I think, to some extent, the state government ignores it, with some of their recent decisions, particularly in Riddells Creek,” he said.
“It’s very important that we get as much protection as we can into the planning scheme.”
When the MRSPP was launched, it was described as “yet to be finalised” with more work required to set the settlement boundaries for the townships of Gisborne and Romsey.
MRSC adopted the Romsey Structure Plan in May last year and adopted the Gisborne Futures Structure Plan in July last year. Both have now been awaiting ministerial approval for more than one year.
Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny is expected to prepare the planning scheme amendments, and may establish an advisory committee to hear from experts and the community.
Last week MRSC unanimously agreed to write to Ms Kilkenny to request she also undertake a planning scheme amendment to include the MRSPP into the planning scheme as an incorporated document.
MRSC CEO Bernie O’Sullivan is expected to continue to advocate to the Department of Transport and Planning to support the process.
The council will also provide a copy of the letter to local MP Mary-Anne Thomas, and fellow declared Distinctive Area Landscape councils at Bass Coast, Surf Coast, Queenscliffe and Geelong.
