KINGSTON Council will write to the Department of Transport and Planning and the state’s planning minister to urge against proceeding with the planned redevelopment of the Kingswood Golf Course in Dingley Village.
After years of deliberations the state government approved a development plan for the Kingswood site in late 2025, clearing the way for developer Satterley to build 941 lots on the land. Kingston Council faced criticism shortly afterwards for lodging an appeal with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal four days after the required deadline (“Council misses crucial Kingswood deadline” The News, 14/1/2026).
Since the state government’s approval some changes have been made to the plans, including a reduction in lots from 941 to 932, but council remains deeply concerned. Kingston mayor Georgina Oxley said “we’ve consistently said this development, in its current form, goes too far, and that hasn’t changed. We remain seriously concerned about the loss of trees and native vegetation, unresolved drainage and flooding risks, and the need for better community infrastructure and open space outcomes. These all need to be addressed before this proposal should be supported.”
“The state’s own Planning Guidelines for Golf Course Conversion highlight the importance of protecting biodiversity and natural vegetation, as does the Vegetation Protection Overlay the minister placed over this significant site and the expert advisory committee’s findings when they considered the planning scheme amendment,” Cr Oxley said. “We’re continuing to push for a development that is designed with the protection of the site’s natural environment in mind, independently assessed plans to manage flooding, and new infrastructure that actually delivers net community benefit for new and existing residents.
“This is a once-in-a-generation redevelopment of a site with such distinctive natural features, and it’s critical it is done right. Our role now is to advocate strongly on behalf of our community to ensure a critical eye is placed over this application. We have carefully assessed the application and will keep working with the state through its assessment to secure better outcomes, because our community expects and deserves nothing less.”
Kingston Council published more than 1000 pages of reports investigating the Kingswood plans last month. In a summary of the matter prepared for last month’s council meeting, Kingston Council officers wrote that “the approval of the development plan does not necessitate the approval of any application in any form that follows.”
“While the application must be ‘generally in accordance with the development plan’ any application should be informed by ‘first principles’ and represent an orderly and proper planning outcome. Council officers do not believe that the application has addressed the concerns raised in extensive previous documentation and correspondence, [the development plan overlay], and critically the opportunities and constraints of the site.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 6 May 2026