 | By Catherine Watson THE long-awaited draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy has finally been released for consultation by the State Government as part of the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) project. The policy was due to be released for the second stage of community consultation last July but was deferred several times without explanation. The document includes a 50-year vision, objectives and strategies for guiding land use, management and development decisions to protect and enhance the significant attributes of the Bass Coast declared area. Bass Coast is one of only four shires in Victoria to have been declared a Distinctive Areas and Landscapes area. |
Bass Coast Mayor Michael Whelan said the draft policy designated long-term settlement boundaries for townships to provide greater certainty for communities and investors.
“Now the council and community need to sit down and get their heads around the document to make sure it does what we want it to do,” Cr Whelan said.
“Now the council and community need to sit down and get their heads around the document to make sure it does what we want it to do,” Cr Whelan said.
| The biggest change is in a number of township boundaries. The draft recommends extending the San Remo township east along the Phillip Island Road. Two township boundaries on the island have been reduced. A portion of the Phillip Island Golf Club between Coghlan and Settlement roads, once mooted for residential development, has now been removed from the Cowes township area. A portion of Newhaven West adjacent to Western Port is proposed to be removed from the township boundary along with the former airport, which was also mooted for residential development in 2015. Proposed industrial land to the south of Grantville has also been removed because of its proximity to Western Port. The draft policy sees Coronet Bay and Corinella remaining as separate townships, despite suggestions that they should become one. Wonthaggi is earmarked as the major regional centre to reduce the development pressure on the other townships in more vulnerable areas of Bass Coast. The Wonthaggi townships boundaries will be finalised after the other boundaries are set. | Woodlands ignored  The draft policy barely mentions the Western Port woodlands, the last significant forest in Bass Coast. There was major disappointment for a local community group hoping for permanent protection of the woodland corridor between Nyora and Bass. Save Western Port Woodlands spokesperson Gerard Drew said the draft policy gave too much emphasis to landscapes as visual elements rather than recognising the web of life within them. “The woodlands were noted for the ability of vegetation to hide the ugliness of sand extraction. “The beauty of the landscape comes from complex life and forces that shape them. The beauty is lost once they are emptied of that complex life. “We welcome the draft policy’s recognition of the biodiversity and indigenous cultural heritage value of the Western Port Woodlands, but we’re disappointed that it then proposes to classify the area for sand mining. Jordan Crook from the Victorian National Parks Association said the failure to recognise the importance of the Western Port Woodlands was a tragedy. “The Gippsland Plain bioregion is one of the most cleared areas in the state and every piece of bushland should be protected and respected. The environmental and cultural values of the Western Port Woodlands must be recognised and protected with planning controls.” Mr Drew said SWPW would encourage its 300-plus members and supporters to put in submissions. “We hope the final version of the policy addresses the clear conflict between sand extraction and conservation.” |