Bid to delay golf course decision

CARDINIA Shire Council is asking Planning Minister Rob Hulls to hold off on a decision on rezoning the Pakenham Golf Course.
The new council wants to have further talks on the issue.
Council also wants its 200506 budget to be reworked on the premise the rezoning will not proceed.
Councillors voted 43 to ask the minister to delay his decision.
The issue was raised during urgent business at council’s first postelection meeting last Monday.
The moves add a sudden twist to what has been a longrunning and controversial saga.
Council’s vote followed a heated debate.
Members of the previous council argued strongly against the decision and the manner in which it was raised.
Cr Doug Hamilton said the consequences of the council’s move could be farreaching.
Crs Hamilton, Graeme Legge and Kate Lempriere opposed the move.
Mayor Bill Ronald said his newlook council did not necessarily intend to try and block the previous council’s plans.
“We’re merely asking the minister to defer making a decision to give the new councillors an opportunity to discuss the situation,” he said.
The proposal is for a 600lot housing, waterway and parkland development on the 90hectare site with a multimilliondollar new golf course to be built in McGregor Road.
As previously reported in the Gazette, the previous council controversially pushed ahead with its plan despite a recommendation by an independent planning panel that the necessary planning scheme amendment be abandoned.
Many residents have opposed the development but the council said it would be a win for the community, increasing public open space on the township’s eastern fringe and providing Pakenham with a state of the art new golf course.
Cr Ronald and the three Cardinia Ratepayers and Residents Associationendorsed councillors led the push to revisit the issue.
Cr Brett Owen said he did not want to see a decision made on such an important issue without having some input.
Cr Ed Chatwin said his concern was the impact on the shire’s finances if the multimilliondollar proposal did not go ahead.
Cr Lempriere said she understood the new councillor’s desire to have input but was concerned that the issue had been sprung on councillors without forewarning.
Cr Hamilton said “dumping this on our laps” was totally out of order.
Council’s stance has been welcomed by residents opposed to the previous council’s decision. Meanwhile, a Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesperson said last week the Cardinia Shire Council’s request to amend its planning scheme remained under consideration by the minister. The spokesperson was unaware of the council’s latest move but said a decision would not be likely anyway until some time in the new year.