Cape residents take their message to Town Hall. By Catherine Watson
CAPE Paterson residents will fight on to retain Cape’s “village feel” despite failing to persuade the council to press for a reduction in the town boundary.
At this week’s council meeting, the council finalised its submission on a draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy, produced as part of the Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) project.
CAPE Paterson residents will fight on to retain Cape’s “village feel” despite failing to persuade the council to press for a reduction in the town boundary.
At this week’s council meeting, the council finalised its submission on a draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy, produced as part of the Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) project.
The submission asks the DAL project team to re-examine several township boundaries, including Cape Paterson’s, in the light of population growth estimates and neighbourhood character studies.
Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesperson John Coulter said the group remained fairly positive despite the setback.
“We were hoping the council submission would specifically recommend a reduction in the boundary, but we understand there are moves behind the scenes.
“The council officers pointing out many glaring inconsistencies in the draft policy. We thought it was a pretty poor document.
"At one point it refers to Cape Paterson as a village; in another it’s described as a high growth area. They are putting it back on the Minister. There is a lot more work to be done.”
Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesperson John Coulter said the group remained fairly positive despite the setback.
“We were hoping the council submission would specifically recommend a reduction in the boundary, but we understand there are moves behind the scenes.
“The council officers pointing out many glaring inconsistencies in the draft policy. We thought it was a pretty poor document.
"At one point it refers to Cape Paterson as a village; in another it’s described as a high growth area. They are putting it back on the Minister. There is a lot more work to be done.”
| About 30 Cape residents attended Wednesday’s council meeting but only a handful were allowed into the gallery Cr Leticia Laing, a Cape resident, acknowledged their presence and appeared rueful that she had not been able to persuade her fellow councillors to push for a reduction in the boundary. “When I ran for council one of the issues I campaigned on was to preserve the village character and natural spaces of Cape Paterson | Under the Liberals, the town boundaries of Cowes and Cape Paterson were changed against the advice of independent planning panels. Under Labor, any attempt to expand town boundaries in the declared areas must be agreed to by the Parliament, protecting locals from the Liberals and their sneaky secret deals at kitchen tables. |
“We are not supporting the boundary as it stands but we do need a better picture of how housing supply and neighbourhood character is going to go across the shire. Before that work is completed we can’t make an informed decision on how to argue the position for a reduction.”
Cr Laing said there was strong community support for reducing the boundary, with more than 350 objections made to the development of land north of Seaward Drive in 2019.
Then planning minister Matthew Guy extended the Cape boundary north in 2012 against the wishes of the community and the council and against the advice of a planning panel. If it proceeds, the extension would potentially double the population of Cape Paterson.
When the Premier Daniel Andrews announced the DAL project in November 2018, two weeks before the state election, he referred directly to the Matthew Guy's handling of the case.
“Under Labor, any attempt to expand town boundaries in the declared areas must be agreed to by the Parliament, protecting locals from the Liberals and their sneaky secret deals at kitchen tables.”
Mr Coulter said his group would try to get a meeting with the current Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, who retires in November. “That’s kind of a shame. At least both he and his chief of staff are familiar with the issue.
“We’re still going to be pushing hard politically, after we’ve had a rest and regrouped.”
Cr Laing said there was strong community support for reducing the boundary, with more than 350 objections made to the development of land north of Seaward Drive in 2019.
Then planning minister Matthew Guy extended the Cape boundary north in 2012 against the wishes of the community and the council and against the advice of a planning panel. If it proceeds, the extension would potentially double the population of Cape Paterson.
When the Premier Daniel Andrews announced the DAL project in November 2018, two weeks before the state election, he referred directly to the Matthew Guy's handling of the case.
“Under Labor, any attempt to expand town boundaries in the declared areas must be agreed to by the Parliament, protecting locals from the Liberals and their sneaky secret deals at kitchen tables.”
Mr Coulter said his group would try to get a meeting with the current Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, who retires in November. “That’s kind of a shame. At least both he and his chief of staff are familiar with the issue.
“We’re still going to be pushing hard politically, after we’ve had a rest and regrouped.”