Spring creek backed

Alex de Vos
Australia’s peak development body and a prominent landowner have praised Surf Coast Shire’s controversial plans to more than double Torquay’s population.
They backed the Spring Creek urban growth area project as the shire revealed to the Independent it had received 2000 submissions on the plan.
Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Tony De Domenico labelled the shire’s Spring Creek urban growth plan “sustainable” despite widespread fears among residents it would wreck the town’s coastal lifestyle.
“There’s obviously a demand for people who want to live in Torquay and it’s very myopic for people not to want this kind of growth,” Mr De Domenico said.
“If it’s environmentally sustainable then there’s no reason why it shouldn’t go ahead.
“It seems short-sighted to stick up barriers.”
Mr De Domenico said Victoria’s rapid growth rate demanded “appropriate development” such as the Spring Creek plan.
The plan covers a 600-hectare area bordered by Anglesea, Grossmans, Duffields and Great Ocean roads.
The development would provide enough new allotments, including blocks for 1280 “affordable” homes, to house about 14,000 new residents.
Torquay and Jan Juc have an existing population of almost 10,000, according to the 2006 Census.
Spring Creek land owner and former Surf Coast Shire councillor Keith Grossman called the plan an “appropriate use of inadequate farming land”.
Mr Grossman served on the previous council during development of the framework.
“The development is in an area that was always a designated growth area,” Mr Grossman said.
“People are crying out for this kind of lifestyle in Torquay – it’s a place where people would love to come to live.”
Mr Grossman said the plan “needed a few adjustments” but believed the area had “nice, level roads” for infrastructure such as walking and cycling paths and sport ovals.
Last month outraged residents formed a series of community action groups to fight the plan.
Federal Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman said all the submissions to the shire opposed the plan.
Mr Cheeseman, who has lobbied for development of affordable housing across the region, said he also opposed the Spring Creek framework.
“Torquay won’t be able to cope with a development of this size,” he said.
Submissions close on March 2.