“No Macedon Metropolis... Hulls”

29/4/05

At a meeting in Kyneton today the Minister for Planning, Rob Hulls, urged the Macedon Ranges Residents Association (MRRA) to work with the local council to protect the significant and natural assets of the region.

Meetings the MRRA and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council were held at the request of the member for Macedon, Joanne Duncan, and the member for Ballarat East Geoff Howard.

Mr. Hulls made assurances that the significant and natural assets of the Macedon Ranges region would continue to be protected with strategic planning work being undertaken by the Council.

“The council is working hard to address the issue of development pressure and provide planning certainty by strengthening their planning scheme.” Mr. Hulls said.

“The Residents’ group raised concerns about the form, scale and density of residential development, residential development in rural areas and the effect of development on the character of the area’s environment”.

“The MRRA’s request for government intervention in these planning matters is not appropriate.  The Macedon Ranges Shire Council is the local planning authority and I am not going to usurp the role of a democratically elected council.”

“It is clear more work does need to be done by the Council to strengthen their planning scheme, and I urge MRRA to work closely with them in this process.”

Mr. Hulls also assured residents there was no hidden growth agenda for the Macedon Ranges.

“Macedon Ranges, like other fringe areas close to Melbourne, has experienced growth and it is the responsibility of the local council to make sure that growth is managed through a well thought out planning strategy,” Mr. Hulls said.

“Planning in and around towns such as Gisborne and Macedon, will be done in partnership with local council and are designed to include substantial community involvement.”

“One of the key priorities of this government is to ensure urban development is kept out of areas of environmental significance and the government’s commitment to initiatives such as urban growth boundaries and the protection of green wedges demonstrates that regions such as the Macedon Ranges are off-limits to intensive development.”