Zoe Moffatt
Gisborne residents are frustrated about the planned growth Macedon Ranges council set out in the Draft Gisborne Futures Structure Plan, saying the town’s infrastructure can’t keep up.
On August 23, council released the draft plan for community consultation, which remains open until Monday, November 13.
The plan seeks to provide a vision for Gisborne and New Gisborne to grow within a protected settlement boundary, and identifies future land uses for retail, employment, housing, open space and community services.
Resident Georgie Shumack said the biggest concern among the community right now is the speed of growth of new estates and residential houses without the infrastructure keeping up.
“Lots of us love Gisborne and understand there will be urban spread, however the speed at which it is happening without the right infrastructure… is quite frightening,” she said.
“[This] includes new high schools [and] supermarkets in New Gisborne… and it will all just end up in worse traffic [and] a lack of education which will be awful for our children.
“It’s great they are planning for more housing but how are they going to fit more people in. They are just turning it into another Sunbury which isn’t what people moved here for.”
Ms Shumack said the planned 700-lot development in 89 Ross Watt Road, Gisborne, was “ridiculous” and is just “trying to squeeze people in”.
“It’s ridiculous that there will soon be another estate. [It’s] unrealistic and not inline with what the residents want.
“People move out here for bigger blocks and the space. The town will lose the feeling that the residents moved there for.
“It’s great they are planning for more housing but how are they going to fit more people in?”
Councillors unanimously voted to knock back the Gisborne development on March 9, but it was subsequently approved and endorsed by VCAT on July 18.
Council’s director planning and environment Rebecca Stockfeld said council had a fantastic community response when it last consulted on the draft plans in 2020.
“This led to a list of actions that we have been working through,” she said.
“We believe it now strikes the right balance between providing more diverse and affordable housing while protecting the surrounding landscapes from outward sprawl.”
Residents can attend a drop-in session, and provide online and written feedback.
Details: shorturl.at/mzDS1
