By Luke Voogt
A Drysdale couple has lost their fight to save their home from being demolished to make way for a 550-house estate.
Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne this week approved a rezoning request allowing developer Ample Investments Group to acquire Patrick Hughes and Glenda MacNaughton’s home of 11 years.
The developer plans to use their property for drainage in the 1397-resident estate.
“We’re disappointed in what this means for the area and what will be lost,” Ms MacNaughton told the Independent. She did wish to comment further on the decision.
In January, 2020, Geelong council deferred the proposed development, after the Independent first revealed the plans in October, 2019.
Council received 71 public submissions on the proposal with 64 objections, including 21 opposing a proposed road since scrapped from the plans.
The independent panel received a further five late submissions, with four in favour.
Councillors requested Mr Wynne to appoint an independent panel to consider the amendment required for the development, following community backlash.
The panel approved the rezoning last December, leaving the development requiring the final approval from the minister, which he granted this week.
Mr Hughes is part of the Drysdale Clifton Springs Curlewis Association, which opposed the development on the basis that it would “kill” the town’s rural character.
