Home boom for Bunyip

By Paul Dunlop
BUNYIP will experience a major growth spurt with at least 180 homes to be built in a new development close to the town’s centre.
Cardinia Shire Council on Monday unanimously endorsed plans to subdivide 23.4 hectares of land in Nylander Road for residential housing.
The subdivision will be carried out in 10 stages on land currently used for grazing livestock.
Councillors said the development marked the start of a new era of expansion in the rural railway town.
The decision was not without controversy with 15 objections lodged to the permit application, including a petition signed by 22 residents.
Residents were concerned the development would destroy the character of the town and increase pressure on local facilities.
Bunyip Ward councillor Bill Pearson said the subdivision plans had been the subject of plenty of discussion but was confident the outcome would be “wonderful” for the town.
“Bunyip is starting on a time of some growth, a new supermarket and day care centre have recently been established.
“This will tidy up the whole of one corner of the town, we’re talking about large residential blocks, none are under 700 square metres in size and some are much bigger than that.
“We’re not going to see open slather development, we will see controlled development and the type of development we can live with.”
The subdivision application was the main topic of discussion at council’s town planning meeting.
Cr Bill Ronald expressed concern that some of the larger allotments could be used for unit developments which he said would be a “disaster for Bunyip”.
Town planner Phil Walton said shire staff would not support units being built there as they were not appropriate for the area.
Councillors were also concerned that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal had taken a much more lenient view of smaller block sizes than Cardinia.
Approving the development meant council had a much bigger say in the end result than if the matter went before VCAT, councillors said.
Cr Brett Owen said he would like to see even bigger blocks in the subdivision but believed the outcome was “the best we can do”.
Cr Graeme Legge said permit conditions would help deliver a result that was in the best interests of council and the community.
Requirements for public open space areas, the planting of street trees in front of every allotment, street lighting and landscaping and drainage works were among the conditions imposed by council.