By JESSE GRAHAM
COLDSTREAM residents face an uphill battle, according to an independent planner who outlined a way forward for the town’s expansion in a special meeting last week.
Around 30 Coldstream residents and businesspeople flocked to the meeting at the Yarra Ranges Council chambers on Thursday 6 March, to discuss the ongoing issue of land use in the town.
The meeting, organised by Yarra Ranges Council’s Community Development team, comes off the back of numerous community meetings last year, projecting the town’s short-term and long-term goals.
One of the main long-term goals raised has been the proposal to expand the town, through a redrawing of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and Green Wedge Zoning, which currently restricts development in the town.
Managing director of Hansen Partnership, David Barnes, said the restriction of growth in Coldstream was a result of a Regional Strategy Plan created decades ago to stop developers from spoiling the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs.
Mr Barnes said the town had four options when it came to Coldstream’s future: to not change at all; to create development within existing areas by subdividing land; to develop vacant Mixed Use Zone land near the IGA supermarket; or to expand the UGB.
He warned that providing a justification for the expansion of the UGB would take a lot of work from both community members and council and that no positive result could be guaranteed.
“You’re really up against it, in terms of changing the policies,” Mr Barnes said.
“There are a lot of implications to changing it (the Regional Strategy Plan) for Coldstream, and unsettling what has been in place for a long time – a precedent could be set.”
He said the Yarra Ranges Council would have to be won over to the argument – as would the Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy – then an amendment to the Regional Strategy Plan would have to become an act of parliament and passed by both houses.
However, of the six tables of community members who separated for group discussions, five came back with almost unanimous support for an expansion of the town.
The sixth partially supported expansion, and all tables gave options for improving and redeveloping the town in the short and long-term.
Yarra Ranges mayor Fiona McAllister said it was important to avoid a ‘Groundhog Day’ situation, where the expansion conversation comes up repeatedly, with no change.
Cr McAllister suggested that a structure plan for Coldstream could offer certainty about the town’s future, which, she said, was currently absent.
“I really feel a structure plan looks at all the issues we talked about tonight,” she said.
“A formal structure planning process would look closely at land use planning options and help bring council and the community together on this journey.
“It would also strengthen future advocacy efforts to the State Government for changes to help realise the community’s vision for Coldstream.”
Cr McAllister said she would gauge the interest of other councillors in a structure plan, and said the process, if it got off the ground, could take around 18 months.
However, she reassured those who attended the meeting that this was not a delaying tactic, but rather a “robust process”, which would consult with the broader community and assess important issues.
The council is seeking comments from the community on a Coldstream Draft Vision Statement and looking for community members to join a Coldstream Community Planning Group.
For more information on the community meetings, or to comment on the Draft Vision Statement visit www.yarrarangesviews.com.au/coldstreams-future, email c.riseley@yarraranges.vic.gov.au, write a letter to the Community Planning and Engagement Team, Yarra Ranges Council, PO Box 105, Lilydale, 3140 or call 9294 6123.
The deadline for comments on the Draft Vision Statement is 5pm on Friday 21 March.
