The Bracks government yesterday did one of the great political back flips by rejecting a $180 million Stockland proposal for a major seaside development at Point Lonsdale on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.
Many developers believe the decision is politically motivated with a State election due later this year.
Residents in other coastal towns such as Lorne and Torquay believe their areas have been dumped with overdevelopment in the past three years, however, many now say the Point Lonsdale decision is political gamesmanship.
One Lorne resident told Australian Property Journal last night: “Where was the Bracks government when Lorne was overdeveloped with apartments in recent years, I’ll tell you where, standing beside the developers applauding the massive developments.”
Stockland’s plans for 660 homes and a retirement village on its 195 hectare Waterways site at Point Lonsdale is now in limbo.
Stockland had planned for more than 75 hectares of publicly owned habitat sanctuary including coastal saltmarsh and Moonah woodland as well as over 20 hectares of local parks and open space reserves providing easy access to residents and visitors.
Not good enough for the Bracks government.
Recently, Planning Minister Rob Hulls indicated the development was doomed stating it would “take a lot of convincing to approve any development that breached town boundaries”.
Just last month, City of Greater Geelong councillors voted 10 to two in favour of the development.
Stockland was confident its plans for Point Lonsdale conformed with the Victoria government’s Coastal Strategy.
Not so…
Yesterday, according to Planning Minister Hulls and fellow Minister John Thwaites, Stockland’s plans and the government’s Coastal Strategy were worlds apart.
Hulls said the government would not exhibit plans for the development stating the project could not go ahead in its current form.
However, many Torquay and Lorne residents are now wondering were the Bracks government’s Coastal Strategy was when their towns were “overdeveloped” in recent years.
By Nelson Yap
