Forum for foothills’ future

By Ed Merrison
KNOX City Council is readying itself for a key hearing which is set to decide the future of development in the Dandenong foothills.
Following a directions hearing on Tuesday, 2 May, provisional hearing dates for the Foothills Policy Review, also known as Amendment C40, have been set for Monday, 22, Tuesday, 23 and Friday, 26 May, with the possibility of an further day being added.
The timetable for the hearing, which will include consideration of the Municipal Strategic Statement or Amendment C50, is subject to confirmation by an independent panel appointed by Planning Minister Rob Hulls.
The panel will provide an informal forum for hearing submissions to the amendments while giving independent advice to the council and Planning Minister.
Knox director of city development Steve Dunn said existing controls failed to address the impact of development proposals on the landscape of the foothills.
“At present, a significant landscape overlay applies to only part of the foothills area and a number of areas do not have detailed controls over subdivision and building design.
“Amendment C40 proposes to rectify this situation through a revised Dandenong foothills local planning policy, reflecting the different landscape areas of the foothills, and through the application of appropriate significant landscape overlays and design and development overlays,” he said.
Mr Dunn said without these controls, the council’s ability to preserve the environmentally significant area would be compromised.
“The amendment is important in the protection and enhancement of the character of the foothills, the protection of significant landscapes, reducing the visual impact of development, and the protection of significant trees and vegetation,” he said.