Macedon Ranges Shire Council
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Residents push for 60km/h on Grahams Road
A large amount of in-depth evidence has been collected to justify action to cut the speed limit from 100km/h to 60km/h on an unsealed rural road close to Lancefield. “In summary, the problems could be solved through three major signage installations, saving the shire council considerable time and money,” local resident Denis Graham said yesterday.…
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Residents fundraise for Bald Hill battle
Kyneton residents opposing a proposed nine-lot subdivision adjoining Bald Hill Reserve are raising funds for legal representation ahead of a VCAT hearing. A small group of community objectors launched a fundraising campaign after Macedon Ranges Shire Council rejected the development in December last year. The Melbourne-based developer has appealed the decision, with the matter due…
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Multi-million pub revival plans
It has not yet been decided whether a planning permit application for a proposed $8 million upgrade to the long-closed Romsey Hotel will be decided by Macedon Ranges councillors, or by council officers under delegation. Council’s director of planning and environment, Rebecca Stockfeld, stated this in response to queries raised by the Express last week.…
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Questions over skatepark tender and cost blowout
New questions have been raised over the tender process and delays surrounding Kyneton’s long-awaited skatepark redevelopment, with construction costs now estimated to be up to $1 million above the original budget. These questions come from local designers Baseplate and EastbyWest, whose quote to design the project was unsuccessful despite receiving a higher raw score than…
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Lancefield town plan deferred
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has voted to defer discussion on a town structure plan for Lancefield until April next year. The Department of Transport and Planning had offered support towards the plan as one of two options to resolve the lingering Development Plan Overlay Schedule 24. The other option was to review and simplify DPO24…
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Sewer spills raise fresh concerns
Heavy rain has again triggered sewer overflows in Kyneton and Malmsbury, prompting renewed concern from residents about the impact on local waterways. The incidents last Wednesday followed similar spills from pump stations in the two towns just two weeks earlier. Edgecombe resident Graham Connell said sewerage from the Kyneton spills was flowing into the Campaspe…
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‘Opportunity to provide certainty’ on DPO24
After years of stymied development and restrictions in key Lancefield growth areas, landholders are now getting a fairer hearing for their predicament than ever before, as the state election approaches. They are asking for removal of Development Plan Overlay Schedule 24 that has hindered land freedom and development for 27 landholders across three areas. The…
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Push to pause on Clarkefield
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has formally called on the Minister for Planning to defer a decision on a major Clarkefield development. MRSC wants Amendment C164 put on hold until major unresolved planning, infrastructure, safety, environmental and financial matters have been independently reviewed and addressed. It is also seeking the minister undertake an independent peer and…
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Housing questions left unanswered
Housing targets for the Macedon Ranges are set at 13,200 dwellings by 2051 but council queries about how those figures were formulated have so far been unanswered. The state government set targets for each municipality last year and warned councils they would need to unlock land for housing or it would “do it for you”.…
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Residents demand action on Gisborne intersection
Gisborne residents are demanding urgent action after a newly reconstructed intersection reopened without regulatory road signs. They warn the situation is creating confusion and posing a safety risk. The intersection of Cherry Lane and Swinburne Avenue, beside the Gisborne Children’s Centre, has been open to traffic for almost a week despite works associated with the…
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Thefts and dumping impact charity services
Rubbish dumping, theft and attempted break-ins are impacting services at Kyneton charity op shops and support services. Kyneton Foodbank has experienced an increase in rubbish dumping over the past 12 months, and a recent attempted break-in and damage to its refrigerated food van. Video surveillance has also captured people rifling through donation bags left and…
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‘Hands off’ the Ranges
“We don’t want to be Melbourne. We don’t want urban sprawl. So, hands off!” was the message Macedon Ranges councillor Daniel Young directed at the state government last week. It comes as the council continues its battle against inappropriate development at Clarkefield in a 2300-home proposal that the state government will now decide. The proposal…