Borough of Queenscliffe rescinds interim floodplain policy following community backlash

BY ALISON MARTIN

POINT Lonsdale's Save 600 group, established to oppose an interim floodplain policy, has claimed a significant victory.

In response to the community outrage over the policy, which had the potential to halt development on private property and impact on land values in affected areas, the Borough of Queenscliffe has rescinded two key points.

In a statement, council said:

• Council continues to refer all planning permit applications in the areas vulnerable to sea level rise to the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, advises the applicants of the CCMA advice, and adopts the CCMA advice, including refusal of applications where the CCMA does not support the development
• That council adopts the CCMA's Interim Local Floodplain Development Plan until further advice or direction regarding land use planning and development controls is received from the state government.

However, the borough will "continue to seek advice from the CCMA and other relevant agencies when considering each planning permit application in vulnerable areas".

Save 600 spokesperson, Peter Russell, said the rescinding of the interim changes was the basis of the community campaign but the issues still needed to addressed.

"The borough has put it back to the property owners and they now have charge of their property and their rights," he said.

"Now it goes back to state government and to a lesser extent, the borough. There has to be a resolution from higher authorities because it doesn't only affect the borough, it affects all coastal communities."

Russell said Save 600 representatives would have a meeting with Planning Minister, Justin Madden, later this month to raise their concerns and make him aware of the impact on property owners and the community of policy changes.

Borough mayor, Bob Merriman, said council was "acutely aware of community concerns over this issue and keen to ensure the community not only gets all the facts, but importantly, also has input into all levels of response to sea level rise caused by climate change".

He said the borough was encouraging community submissions regarding the interim plan before February 15.

The borough is also calling for nominations to establish a reference group "to focus community feedback to council and assist finalising the borough's feedback to the CCMA, Minister for Planning, Justin Madden, and other appropriate ministers".

"We have convened a community reference group to identify key issues impacting our community, which we can feed into the state government's Future Coasts Programme and the Planning Minister's Climate Change Advisory Committee," Merriman said.

"We must make governments at both the state and federal levels aware of the risks that residents and council are now facing."

Merriman also said "all aspects" would be considered when feedback and submissions from local residents, information from regional and state authorities and legal advice had been received.