At its meeting on 29th August the Nillumbik Council voted, without discussion, to spend $345,000 on an exercise called the ‘Nillumbik Planning Scheme Review’. They say that this project ‘seeks an improved and holistic approach to strategic planning, supported by important actions such as reviewing the Nillumbik Planning Scheme to make it easier and clearer for all stakeholders, and reviewing the impacts of the Green Wedge Management Plan on the Shire’s community.’
Leaving aside that use of the word ‘holistic’ nearly always intends to obfuscate, who would argue against clarity for ‘all stake holders’? As to reviewing the impacts of the Green Wedge Management Plan on the Shire’s community, we might be interested in the reasons why this is worth doing. But the description of the project from the Council meeting agenda does not enlighten us.
This project is being commissioned, presumably on our behalf, by the Council who overturned their own officers’ recommendations that the development application for 2 Pigeon Bank Road be rejected. The Council officers found that the application was inconsistent with the current Green Wedge Management Plan, and you can see a summary of their reasoning here. In rejecting their officers’ advice the Council offered no arguments at all.
The Council proposes a citizens’ jury to resolve conflict over management of the Green Wedge. It says that ‘Typically, the issue that the jury are asked to consider will be one that has an effect across the community and where a representative and democratic decision-making process is required.’ It is disappointing that such an important change in governance could be proposed with so little background, particularly since on its face it seems inappropriate. The Nillumbik Green Wedge is not a resource which is owned by local landowners. Along with other green wedges it is a vital part of our liveable city, and its protection against creeping destruction should be the concern of us all. The 2 Pigeon Bank application is a case in point. Pigeon Bank Road is on the Urban Growth Boundary which separates the township of North Warrandyte from the Nillumbik Green Wedge. 2 Pigeon Bank is in the Green Wedge, in the RCZ, or Rural Conservation Zone, and Green Wedge standards must be maintained, or over time the lungs of Melbourne will shrink to nothing.
This is a technical and big picture matter, and not a matter properly handled by self-interested local land owners.
