Oscar Parry
Riddells Creek residents continue to express concerns about a proposal for a housing development on Amess Road.
As reported by Star Weekly, residents started a petition opposing the development in late 2022, which garnered 1231 signatures.
Last year, Macedon Ranges council voted against an amendment process for the Amess Road Precinct Structure Plan.
But the state government has since accepted an application for the draft planning scheme amendment through its development facilitation program, which accelerates the assessment pathway for eligible projects and makes the planning minister the responsible authority, removing the decision from the hands of council.
The plan for the site was created by Echelon Planning on behalf of Banner Asset Management.
About 400 residents attended a town meeting in Riddells Creek hosted by community action group, Riddells Creek Planning Group, on Thursday, July 27, where the group discussed the latest planning scheme amendment and expressed concerns.
Riddells Creek Planning Group co-lead Aaron Goldsworthy said the group is not opposed to growth in Riddells Creek, but is unhappy with the draft plan.
“We know [Riddells Creek] is going to grow. So, this isn’t about saying ‘no growth in Riddells, no new residents’. It’s about saying that town development needs to respect town character, and if the government wants well-located homes, these aren’t well located,” Mr Goldsworthy said.
Mr Goldsworthy said a reduction in the average proposed block size was one of the issues residents had with the proposal.
“One of the biggest things is a minimum block size of 800 square metres and no more than nine lots per buildable hectare,” he said.
“The next big thing is about appropriate infrastructure, so intersections and footpaths that surround the site but also having some sort of contribution or plan to upgrading the main road through Riddells Creek.”
Another issue raised was the accessibility of the site for emergency services.
“We’re in a bushfire prone area, and there is … quite a high risk of fires and spot fires if they came over the north of Mount Macedon, and [Riddells Creek] is quite constrained in terms of entry and exit to the town,” Mr Goldsworthy said.
Macedon Ranges council also made a submission opposing the draft planning scheme amendment, with requests that the plan should include an objective to provide affordable housing and “preferably also include a requirement” to do so.
Echelon Planning Group and Banner Asset Management were contacted for comment.
Submissions to the government closed earlier this month, with the planning minister expected to make a decision in August.
