Kangaroo Flat residents are prepared to occupy wetlands on High Street, should a housing development be allowed to proceed.
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City of Greater Bendigo council will hear a rescission motion against the development at Wednesday night’s council meeting.
The rescission motion puts the issuing of any permits on hold.
It was raised by councillor Peter Cox after the mayor’s deciding vote ruled in favour of a housing development planned for 2.7 hectares of bush and wetlands in High Street Kangaroo Flat.
Before the mayor’s vote, councillors were split on the development.
Residents living in the area near the wetlands have so far gathered more than 80 signatures on a petition and lodged objections with the council.
Kangaroo Flat resident Greig Pairman said 40 residents and their children had already held a small demonstration in support of the wetlands.
“As this began to unfold I (spoke with) developers who said to me they had received very few objections,” he said.
“I determined to do everything I could to stop what I think is a very inappropriate development.
“I door knocked the perimeter (of the wetlands) and discovered a number of people were against the development, so I made an official objection in writing to the town planner.”
If the motion passed at the last council meeting is not rescinded, one of the first actions of the group will be to “occupy” the wetland to raise awareness in an effort to save the scenic wetland.
“I’m prepared. If we have to keep continuing, I will go to VCAT and keep arguing the point,” Mr Pairman said.
“I am feeling confident that the rescission motion should get up because other people who have more expertise than I do have been paying much more interest to the issue.”
The group trying to save the wetlands believe the development site is a wetland and has values as native vegetation and bird and animal habitat and that the site has great value as open space and future value as park, relaxation and recreation space.