18 June 2014
The WCA has received some good news regarding proposed re-zoning changes.
The Planning Minister has written to Nillumbik Council confirming that the Low Density Residential Zone (LDRZ), which covers all of North Warrandyte, will NOT have its minimum lot size cut in half. It will remain at 0.4 Hectare (or 1 acre).
Along with Manningham, Nillumbik becomes one of very few councils in Victoria where the LDRZ remains unchanged.
If the minimum lot size was cut in half, then subdivisions would have been inevitable once the sewerage project was completed. While some subdivisions might have been stopped by the Council and/or VCAT, this decision to retain the current minimum lot size closes the door on all subdivision proposals for 1 acre blocks without the time, expense and aggravation of neighbours objecting to Council and lodging appeals at VCAT.
Nillumbik Council should be congratulated for resolving to formally write to the Planning Minister to make the request that the 12 month ‘reprieve’ reported in the Diary a year ago be made permanent.
The Warrandyte Community Association welcomes the decision by the Planning Minister to retain the current 1 acre minimum lot size in Nillumbik’s Low Density Residential Zone (LDRZ).
- The Warrandyte community lodged hundreds of submissions objecting to various aspects of the State Government’s proposed planning zone changes, including the proposal to cut the LDRZ minimum lot size in half; “it’s great to see the State Government listened to our concerns.”
- The WCA met with the Planning Minister on three occasions and requested that he maintain the current minimum lot size; it’s great to see the Planning Minister agree to empower Manningham and Nillumbik Councils to prohibit new subdivisions in their LDRZs.
- The Low Density Residential Zone in Nillumbik covers all of North Warrandyte and its character would have been changed forever if subdivisions were enabled by cutting the minimum lot size in half.
- The WCA would like to thank the Nillumbik Shire Council for passing a resolution requesting the Planning Minister retain the current minimum lot size in the LDRZ; together, we achieved a great result for the Warrandyte community.
26 March 2014, Manningham City Council Media Release – 140326 Manningham MR LDRZ