By John Van Klaveren
GEELONG’s council faces a multi-million dollar black hole to develop sites at Lovely Banks after the former state government planning minister secretly rezoned the land.
Lovely Banks was identified as a long-term growth area but Mathew Guy, now opposition leader, rezoned it suddenly in the lead up to November’s state election.
A report to council said the rezoning went ahead without notice to council or public consultation.
Mr Guy used his powers of intervention in October to prepare, adopt and approve the rezoning from Farming to Urban Growth zone, the report said.
Council would now have to undertake a financial analysis to ascertain the cost of making land available in the newly rezoned area.
The report said an indication of the potential expense was council’s pending costs of $19 million for infrastructure in subdivisions at Armstrong Creek and Clifton Springs.
The Armstrong Creek costs ommitted a planned library and aquatic centre and indoor sports facility, likely to cost another $20 million.
Council also faced significant investment in infrastructure in multiple growth fronts across Geelong at Lara, Leopold, Ocean Grove and St Leonards.
The report said the land at Lovely Banks suffered “constraints” including a major south-west gas pipeline, the need for buffers to existing industry and the potential presence of significant grassland habitat.
Lovely Banks and Batesford South were identified in a G21 regional growth plan as part of an expected population increase to 500,000 by 2050.
But the report said Mr Guy omittedBatesford South from his secret rezoning and had never explained why he chose only Lovely Banks.
Council agreed to ask the new State Government for funding to progress the planning and development of the area for schools, roads and public transport.
The report said the development would also need greater state investment in Geelong’s economy to grow the employment base so new residents at Lovely Banks could live and work locally.
