After the decision made by the Surf Coast Council on the 22nd of April, most of us had thought we'd nipped the Spring Creek Development plan in the butt (for the medium term at least).

The last few weeks have seen the resurrection of the Spring Creek development issue with the recent C37 amendment proposal for the Torquay/Jan Juc Structure Plan 2007 reintroducing the area west of Duffields Rd along Spring Creek as and urban growth area. More specifically this amendment (which has been going on since 2008) outlines 1km west of Duffields Rd as 'Future Urban Growth' and the rest of the Spring Creek area further west as 'Potential Urban Growth'.

Even though the Council made their decision to reject the Spring Creek Urban Growth Framework Plan it seems the planning department and developers are going ahead with development of Spring Creek regardless. So much for community consultation and weight of Council decisions! Spring Creek Development is back on the agenda and it seems that decisions may be passed well before the so called, Torquay Sustainable Futures 2040 that was proposed by the Council.

So what can we do?

- Call on Council and the Surf Coast Shire to seperate the issue of Spring Creek from the rest of the C37 amendment.

- Get invovled and express your opinion to the local media.

- Get involved with the Bellbrae Structure Plan meeting scheduled for the 26th July (see info below) and when and if it happens the Torquay Sustainable Futures 2040 (timing and place yet to be determined)

- And hope that our democratically elected Councillors are the ones that are making the decisions within the Surf Coast Shire rather than the pro development Planning Department....

For anyone interested the Bellbrae Stucture Plan Meeting will be held at:

- Bellbrae Town Hall

1. -2.30-4.30pm, Sunday 26th July 2008 (tomorrow).
   

More information about the C37 Amendment can be found on the Surf Coast Shire Website at:

http://www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/AmendmentC37.htm