Call for EES on new Lonsdale homes plan

Andrew Mathieson
A PEAK environmental group has called for an environmental effects study before council considers an ageing Point Lonsdale shell grit mine for residential development.
Point Lonsdale Coastal Spaces Group’s David Mitchell said the proponent had yet to contact his organisation about the development plans
The group ran a long campaign against initial plans for a nearby Stockland development, which ended when State Government ruled against the project. Stockland recently submitted new scaleddown plans.
The Independent reported last week that shell grit mine land owner and operator J McMahon and Sons had lodged an application with Geelong’s council to rezone 42 hectares for development.
The company wanted to subdivide the “degraded” site to link with Stockland’s proposal for residential development.
Both proposals are outside Point Lonsdale’s existing town boundaries.
Mr Mitchell said he expected the shell grit miner to adhere to a strict process.
“I haven’t seen a map, haven’t seen any plans yet, so it’s hard to make a call on anything,” he said.
“The land is environmentally significant in its proximity to Lake Victoria, so we look forward to an environmental effects study that would need to accompany any rezoning, just as the golf club and Stockland also had to undertake.”
The shell grit mine would cease operations and terminate employment for at least 11 workers if the proposal won approval.
The company has proposed setting aside the remaining 44 per cent of unaffected land for conservation reserves or revegetation.
But Mr Mitchell warned a “myriad of environmental issues” had to be considered before the degraded land could be rezoned.
“This is a drainage line between Lake Victoria and Swan Bay,” he said.
“They’ll be building on a floodplain.”
Lake Victoria is a state nature conservation reserve and Swan Bay is an international Ramsar site.
Stockland did not answer the Independent’s inquiries after it sought comment over interest in the adjacent land.