Rural land change fears

By Paul Dunlop
Cr Hamilton and colleagues are concerned that a recent shakeup of state planning regulations would render land around Garfield, Bunyip, Kooweerup, Lang Lang, Gembrook and Upper Beaconsfield off limits for development.
Victorian Planning Minister Rob Hulls recently wrote to council advising that new Farming, Rural Activity and Rural Conservation zones introduced into the Victorian planning provisions last year would soon replace old rural zones unless it could be shown that unreasonable or unintended outcomes would result.
Mr Hulls said the new zones were introduced in response to concerns that previous provisions did not properly recognise the importance of agriculture and the right to farm.
Council planning staff said the State Government had designated the shire a metropolitan rather than rural municipality and so it would be inappropriate to retain rural zones.
Cr Hamilton said unless council took action, the State Government would progressively rezone rural land to general farming use which would be inconsistent with the designation of the land for future urban development.
“This rural use land is in the designated growth corridor of many of our shire townships,” Cr Hamilton said.
“We must protect this land so that these small towns can grow and remain economically viable.”
Cr Hamilton said Cardinia’s small towns needed to attract industry to provide local jobs.
“These small towns cannot survive without the potential to grow,” he said.
“If we don’t (oppose the Minister’s plans) then we are giving the death knell to the majority of our small towns.”
Councillors agreed at a meeting last Monday to write to the Minister urging for the introduction of a Special Use zone around rural townships.
Town planning staff said this would allow rural activities as an interim use pending the rezoning of the land for urban purposes based on structure plans or township strategies and detailed site investigations.