Minister knocks back controversial Maldon development

The Mount Alexander Shire council approved the construction of the 43-lot housing development about two kilometres from the town's centre in 2014, but the then Labor opposition promised to refer the matter to an independent advisory panel if it won that year’s election.

Mr Wynne said the panel had received 97 submissions, and 90 of those were against the development, with many citing heritage concerns.

But he said the protection of human life in the area in the event of a bushfire had been the overriding factor in his decision to reject the 125-hectare Tarran Valley Estate yesterday.

“Clearly it is a very significant heritage area and they are important issues that need to be considered, but the broader planning context for me was really around the questions of the bushfire management overlays, the potential for the area to be fire-prone and the lessons that we learnt from Black Saturday,” he said.

Mr Wynne said the government was not satisfied a multi-dwelling rural residential development housing up to 100 people was appropriate and safe, due to “significant risks” to life and property from bushfire.

“The [Bushfires] Royal Commission really provided guidance and direction when you are rezoning land from a rather benign use such as farming to a more intensive use as proposed by the proponent that you had to be very aware of bushfire prone areas,” he said.

The shire’s original decision to approve the development was met with disapproval from some members of the Maldon community, with a number of them staging a protest outside State Parliament prior to the election.

The group’s spokesman Ian Slattery welcomed the minister’s decision, saying despite previously voicing concerns about heritage, the risk of bushfires was also his “overarching” concern.

“Maldon is in an extreme bushfire risk area so putting in a housing development like this was just totally insane in our opinion,” he said.

“This just demonstrates what can be achieved when a community comes together to fight for what it wants.

“The message is just don’t give up.”

Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards made the pledge to review the development in 2014, and described the Minister’s call as a “common sense decision”.

“The majority of the community of Maldon and surrounds are very pleased with this decision that has been made by the minister today,” she said.