The Cape community has waged a long campaign to stop a massive expansion. Photo: Frank Flynn
By Catherine Watson
THE Cape Paterson community is cautiously optimistic that with strong council support it will finally win a decade-long battle to stop a massive expansion of the township.
Former Liberal 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.
During last year’s panel hearings for the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL), Cape residents argued for the Protected Settlement Boundary (PSB) to be returned to Seaward Drive to retain the village feel of Cape and protect the area’s sensitive coastal ecology.
THE Cape Paterson community is cautiously optimistic that with strong council support it will finally win a decade-long battle to stop a massive expansion of the township.
Former Liberal 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.
During last year’s panel hearings for the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL), Cape residents argued for the Protected Settlement Boundary (PSB) to be returned to Seaward Drive to retain the village feel of Cape and protect the area’s sensitive coastal ecology.
At the time, the council declined to support the residents until further work had been done to assess future housing needs within the shire.
That work has now been done. At today’s council meeting, councillors voted 6-2 in support of their final submission to the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL).
The submission recommends the Planning Minister:
The council submission argues that the Wonthaggi North East Precinct Structure Plan, approved last month by the Planning Minister, ensures adequate supply of residential land in Bass Coast for the next 15 years, as required by the State.
The plan secures 444 hectares of residential land for development, sufficient for more that 5000 homes, reducing the need for expansion of settlements such as Cape Paterson and Ventnor, located within sensitive coastal locations.
John Coulter, a committee member of the Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association, welcomed the turnaround by the council.
“I think that will carry quite a bit of weight with the Minister, along with the Wonthaggi North East Precinct going through.”
The recently completed Bass Coast Housing Strategy projects annual demand of 500-650 houses over the next 15 years, totalling 8000-11,000 dwellings. The current land supply is over 21,000 (zoned land for 8973 dwellings, unzoned land for 1951 dwellings and infill capacity for 10,300 dwellings).
Further landscape reviews have also been carried out on the Cape Paterson, Ventnor and San Remo settlement boundaries, as recommended by the panel.
The landscape review of Cape Paterson by Peter Haack Consulting states that development north of Seaward Drive would appear as a logical extension of the Cape Paterson settlement but that dunes in part of the study area are of regional significance and perhaps suitable only for very low density settlement in the order of 1 dwelling per 2 hectares.
The three township boundaries were the main points of contention during the DAL process, along with the land use conflict of sand mining in the Western Port Woodlands.
The DAL panel submitted a written report to the Planning Minister, Sonia Kilkenny, last June, and she will make the final decision.
Completion of the Ventnor, San Remo and Cape Paterson SPSs indicates that a final decision may be close.
That work has now been done. At today’s council meeting, councillors voted 6-2 in support of their final submission to the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL).
The submission recommends the Planning Minister:
- returns the PSB boundary to Seaward Drive in Cape Paterson.
- does not extend the Ventnor PSB.
- extends the San Remo PSB to Punchbowl Road, only including land north of the ridgeline.
The council submission argues that the Wonthaggi North East Precinct Structure Plan, approved last month by the Planning Minister, ensures adequate supply of residential land in Bass Coast for the next 15 years, as required by the State.
The plan secures 444 hectares of residential land for development, sufficient for more that 5000 homes, reducing the need for expansion of settlements such as Cape Paterson and Ventnor, located within sensitive coastal locations.
John Coulter, a committee member of the Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association, welcomed the turnaround by the council.
“I think that will carry quite a bit of weight with the Minister, along with the Wonthaggi North East Precinct going through.”
The recently completed Bass Coast Housing Strategy projects annual demand of 500-650 houses over the next 15 years, totalling 8000-11,000 dwellings. The current land supply is over 21,000 (zoned land for 8973 dwellings, unzoned land for 1951 dwellings and infill capacity for 10,300 dwellings).
Further landscape reviews have also been carried out on the Cape Paterson, Ventnor and San Remo settlement boundaries, as recommended by the panel.
The landscape review of Cape Paterson by Peter Haack Consulting states that development north of Seaward Drive would appear as a logical extension of the Cape Paterson settlement but that dunes in part of the study area are of regional significance and perhaps suitable only for very low density settlement in the order of 1 dwelling per 2 hectares.
The three township boundaries were the main points of contention during the DAL process, along with the land use conflict of sand mining in the Western Port Woodlands.
The DAL panel submitted a written report to the Planning Minister, Sonia Kilkenny, last June, and she will make the final decision.
Completion of the Ventnor, San Remo and Cape Paterson SPSs indicates that a final decision may be close.