Chelsea • Mordialloc • Mentone
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Wednesday 4 March 2015
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Ski force
WATER skiers soared over jumps and performed somersaults, loop-the-loops and aerial gymnastics to the delight of onlookers at the National Water Sports Centre at Patterson River at the weekend. The 35 members of the Southern Water Ski Show team, based at Patterson River, were performing in the National Show Ski titles. See more action Page 8. Picture: Gary Sissons
‘Horsing around’ with wedge Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au LANDOWNERS have been accused of trying to carve up Kingston Green Wedge land for residential development under the guise of horse agistment. Two applications by landowners to subdivide land for “horse agistment” in recent months have been narrowly voted through by councillors against
the advice of council officers. In September last year a five lots subdivision at 2 Leslie Rd, Clarinda was narrowly approved by councillors for horse agistment against council officers’ advice. At the latest public planning meeting last month, councillors voted to approve a ten lots subdivision of land at 217-227 Kingston Rd, Heatherton for the same purpose. Kingston councillors who opposed both planning applications believe
the submissions are being rushed through to exploit “a loophole” before the areas are rezoned as Green Wedge A with a minimum lot size of 40 hectares. Cr David Eden said the council officers’ planning report noted the Heatherton application was inconsistent with state and council planning policy. “It’s just bizarre that we’re dealing with an application here to give each horse on land its own title to land. I
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think it’s a bizarre indictment on this council that we’re entertaining such a proposition and overturning an officer refusal.” Cr Eden noted horses could be housed on the land under the planned Green Wedge A zone without the need for land subdivision. Defenders of the South East Green Wedge president Barry Ross told The News “the [Heatherton] layout looks suspiciously like a plan for a residential subdivision”.
“The proposed subdivision would create 10 blocks with an average size of 0.264 hectares, which is well short of the subdivision limit of 40 hectares.” The council officers’ report noted “supplementary feeding” would be needed for ponies living on the land because a soil fertility report noted they could not feed off the land which is the site of a former rubbish tip. Continued Page 8