PLANNING minister Matthew Guy has knocked back a proposal to subdivide land at Stotts Lane, Frankston South which would have carved up the green wedge land for residential development.
In August last year, Frankston councillors voted to ask the minister to consider Schutz Pty Ltd’s plan to subdivide 42 hectares at Stotts Lane.
An attempt to rezone the land on the eastern side of Stotts Lane for about 180 new houses was made more than 13 years ago, and was followed by similar failed attempts in 2004 and 2011.
The land is zoned Rural Conservation Zone and is covered by a Significant Landscape Overlay. It is classed as part of the Mornington Peninsula Green Wedge despite falling under Frankston Council’s jurisdiction.
Opponents of the subdivision proposal said any development would have extended the Melbourne metropolitan area to the southern reaches of Baxter, erasing the rural gap between Baxter and Frankston.
Politicians across party lines opposed the development.
Defenders of the South East Green Wedge secretary Barry Ross thanked federal Liberal MPs Greg Hunt and Bruce Billson and State independent MP Geoff Shaw, Liberal MP David Morris and Labor MP Johan Scheffer for their support in opposing the Stotts Lane rezoning.
He praised Mr Guy’s decision to reject the application.
“We applaud the minister’s decision which should act as a deterrent to the many land speculators who have clearly been waiting on the outcome of this application before pressing their own claims,” Mr Ross said.
Frankston mayor, Cr Darrel Taylor, said council respected the planning minister’s decision.
“Council received a letter on 16 July from the Minister for Planning refusing the application, and we respect the Minister’s decision and the amendment will not progress,” he said.
Mr Guy’s letter stated: “The amendment would change the strategic direction for the area and is therefore inconsistent with State policy which seeks to protect the values of non-urban land, opportunities for productive agriculture and significant landscapes within Melbourne’s green wedges.”
