Minister wants information

Paul Dunlop
THE state planning department wants to know whether Pakenham has enough public open space before a decision can be made on whether to sanction the sale of the town’s golf course for a housing and parkland development.
Department of Sustainability and Environment staff have asked Cardinia Shire Council, which has supported the sale, to supply further information about the likely effects of the controversial proposal.
The council has asked Planning Minister Rob Hulls to set aside an independent panel recommendation that a necessary amendment to the shire planning scheme be abandoned, saying the panel’s finding was fundamentally flawed.
But DSE official Genevieve Overell said in a letter to Cardinia’s acting chief executive Garry McQuillan that ‘critical issues’ needed to be addressed before the recommendations could be provided to the minister.
A copy of Ms Overell’s letter has been forwarded to the Gazette.
Ms Overell, the DSE’s deputy secretary for built environment, has asked the council to:
COMPLETE a strategic evaluation of open space in Pakenham, taking anticipated growth corridor development into consideration;
EXPLAIN the benefits of building a new golf course in McGregor Road, including how it ‘would offer net community benefit or justify significant public investment’;
UNDERTAKE further investigation to demonstrate economic feasibility;
CONDUCT an ecological impact study to determine the environmental effects of realigning Deep Creek.
Ms Overell’s letter to the council also said: “I am advised that many of the issues raised by the panel in its assessment of the amendment are either no longer applicable, not of concern or can be effectively dealt with through changes to the proposed Schedule 2 to the Comprehensive Development Zone.
“However, there are a number of issues raised by the panel that have not yet been adequately addressed by the council and are critical to the consideration of the amendment.”
Cardinia manager of governance and communications Doug Evans said DSE had asked the council to provide further technical information.
“Council is in the process of preparing this information as requested and will respond to DSE as soon as the material has been prepared,” Mr Evans said.
The council has been given no timeline for a decision on the proposal which would see the council net $22 million in a 600lot housing development deal with project partner Peet abd Co.
Councillors said recently they did not expect the minister to decide on their request to sanction a housing and parkland development on the golf course land until after the state election.
Victorians will go to the polls in November.