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Council adopts blueprint for Wellington Coast Wellington Shire Council has adopted its preferred option for tackling the problem of inappropriate subdivision along the 90 Mile Beach. By Wellington Shire Council - 21st September 2005 - Back to News The Council met on Tuesday, 20 September, and approved a long-term plan which involves focusing development on the existing coastal settlements (or nodes) and turning the areas in between into large rural conservation lots.
The Council will now move to take up the Victorian Government’s proposal for a high-level task force involving the Government and the community to implement the strategy over the next 5-10 years. Council also announced a rates review on the Wellington Coast as part of the plan.
The subdivision issue dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, well before the Wellington Shire was established and before present day standards for provision of services. There are about 11,000 freehold lots along the 90 Mile Beach between Paradise Beach and The Honeysuckles. Council resolved to deal with Seacombe and Hollands Landing separately at a later date.
The Council engaged consultant GHD Pty Ltd last year to develop the Wellington Coast Subdivision Strategy and to manage the community consultation process on its behalf.
More than 6600 affected landowners were notified by mail, six information briefings were held with 681 landowners attending and more than 100 written submissions were received by the consultant.
The consultant’s report, which was tabled at the 20 September Council meeting, presented five options:
Option 1 (Status Quo)
This option would result in low density development along the 90 Mile Beach with environmental impacts across a large area. It will also require infrastructure and servicing.
Option 2 (Fully Serviced Urban Infrastructure)
This option is to abandon the restructure plans and allow standard urban development (‘Gold Coast’). This option would result in high density development along the 90 Mile Beach with significant impacts on the environment. It would require costly infrastructure and servicing across a large area.
Option 3 (Low Density Residential)
Same as status quo except with accelerated restructure process. This option would result in low density development along the 90 Mile Beach with environmental impacts across a large area. It will also require infrastructure and servicing across a large area.
Option 4 (Nodal Urban)
This option involves focussing development on existing coastal settlements (or nodes) and returning the areas in between to either public land or management as large rural conservation lots.
Option 5 (Restricted Development)
This option would allow no further development in the area. This option would involve extreme buy back costs through land acquisition and community dislocation.
Wellington Mayor Peter Gault said: "The Council resolved to adopt Option 4, which will provide economic, social and community benefits along with significant environmental benefits for the Wellington Coast.
"Importantly, in the long term, it will aim to see infrastructure such as water, sewerage, electricity, roads and community facilities provided in the urban node townships of Paradise Beach and Golden Beach over the next few years. Future settlement will then be concentrated in these towns and the Wellington Planning Scheme will be reviewed to ensure that zones and provisions reflect the preferred settlement structure.
"It means there will be an exciting regional development opportunity for Gippsland as a whole as well as significant tourism potential within the conservation areas, which will feature large restructured lots between The Honeysuckles and Golden Beach."
The Rural Conservation Zones, land use and restructure lot boundaries will be decided after further consultation with property owners and the Victorian Government.
The Council also agreed to adopt a strategy to expedite the buy back of coastal dunes and Lake Reeve inundation areas, subject to support from the Victorian Government and property owners.
The possible cost of these solutions is estimated to be more than $80 million.
Cr Gault said discussions would continue with the State Government to set up a high-level task force to work closely with the Council to achieve a successful whole of government, long-term solution to the problem.
"This proposal by the government is a major step forward towards achieving that solution.
"And this move by Council is an extremely important initiative. It’s an issue that has been around for more than 40 years and it won’t be solved overnight but I’m sure with Government and community support, we can meet the challenges and resolve the issue."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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