THEY’VE done it again. The State Government has again extended the time limit on the release of the all-important Statement of Planning Policy to come out of the 2019 Bass Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape process, for another 12 months.

But, according to Bass MP Jordan Crugnale, we may not have to wait that long with the local MP confident the outcome of the long-winded processs will be over by April 2025.

The further 12-month delay, if needed was gazetted by the Governor in Council, under section 46AT(3) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 on Wednesday, October 9, it came into effect on October 8, 2024.

It allows for an extension of up to 12 months for the government to prepare, endorse and approve” the shire’s new SPP, coming out of the for the Bass Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape process, until October 27, 2025.

It means that crucial issues around protecting settlement boundaries from further expansion and planning rules impacting farming land will not be resolved for up to another 12 months.

Chief among those concerns is the expansion north of the Cape Paterson township.

It follows a similar 12 month extension of time in October 2023.

Last time there was a 12-month extension, in October 2023, Ms Crugnale said the DAL was “progressing well”.

“I want to assure our community that the DAL is well progressed and that it is being redeclared as the Act requires that a Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) be prepared, endorsed and approved within one year of the declaration commencing,” said Ms Crugnale said last year.

But in a statement on Friday, October 11, Ms Crugnale said she believed the final DAL report and SPP would out by April 2025.

“The Bass Coast has some of Victoria’s most stunning landscape and precious coastline – that’s why we’re protecting it for generations to come," Ms Crugnale said.

“The Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy will safeguard environmental, landscape and cultural values and encourage good neighbourhood design, while not putting communities in areas of environment risk.

"Once the Draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy is finalised in November I will have more to say to the Bass Coast community about the proposed boundaries and outcomes of the plan. I know how important this is and that there is frustration this is taking longer than expected but I can assure everyone that this is a priority for government and the work will be done."

A spokesperson for the State Government thanked the local community for its patience.

“The Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy will safeguard environmental, landscape and cultural values and encourage good neighbourhood design, while not placing communities in areas of environmental risk.”

“We thank local communities for their patience while the policy is finalised. It will guide land use and development within Bass Coast for the next 50 years and we need to get it right.”

The Cape Paterson Ratepayers and Residents Association remains engaged and concerned about what the implications of any new Statement of Planning Policy may be for the character and environment of their unique coastal location.

"We do have a standing agenda item on it at each of our meetings and we've made contact with Jordan, Greg Box at the shire and also the Minister but there's not a lot more we can do," said CPRRA President Rohan Brown, who spoke to a personal submission he made to the Planning Panels Victoria hearing on the Bass Coast DAL in March last year.

"Our priority as an association is that the settlement boundary revert back to its intended position, along Seaward Drive.

"Putting what would amount to an extra suburb on the northern side would change the whole character of the town, from a situation where most people walk to the beach, to having to get in your car and drive.

"It could simply be that planning priorities like redeveloping Melbourne’s older social housing high rise towers could be adsorbing all their time at the moment and Bass Coast has gone to the bottom of the list," he said.

”Background
The draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) is currently being finalised following consideration of the findings and recommendations of the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Standing Advisory Committee and all public submissions.

Under section 46AX of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, the SPP will require endorsement from the Responsible Public Entities, this includes Bass Coast Shire Council. This process will happen once the draft is finalised. The SPP will provide a blueprint for the liveability of the Bass Coast declared area for the next 50 years and ensure housing growth and infrastructure investment occurs in the right locations.

The Bass Coast SPP is expected to be finalised in April 2025.

But there has been no official word from any authority about this week’s extension.

It was left up to a candidate in the Western Port Ward, Glenda Minty, to blow the whistle on the DAL extension, which also has implications for the Western Port Woodlands in her ward and rules impacting rural landholdings.

These new planning restrictions might also have implications for the State Government’s roll out of renewable energy infrastructure with the Bass hills designated as a Tier 2 investigation area for hosting wind turbines.

Here’s what Glenda Minty had to say:

“I have just got word that the Bass Coast DAL is now subject to a gazetted delay,” Ms Minty said on Thursday.

“Which means that the current DAL being discussed will be almost in need of an update by the time the State Government gets around to passing it.”

In fact, the Bass Coast shire area, was designated as having distinctive rural and coastal landscapes, significant biodiversity and cultural heritage values, productive agricultural land and natural resources, that need to be protected under DAL legislation in 2019.

“Bass Coast will have trouble planning its priorities and being able to move forward. This appears to be a sign of the lack of respect that the State level of Government has for Local Government,” said Mrs Minty.

“The State Government has been sitting on this DAL for a year after more than a year of panel hearings. All this time with no action.

“In the end we will have a statement of planning policy dumped onto those who are the most affected.

“Surely they could release some kind of statement that will allow Bass Coast to move forward at least in the areas where settlement decisions have already occurred?

“This type of delay impedes the level of Government closest to the actual people - the grassroots - to be able to do its job effectively.

“Are they incompetent or do they have a hidden agenda to take over all planning decisions from Local Government where it should belong?

“The recent release of Section 53.22 of the Victoria Planning Provisions re Significant Economic Development, taken with the fact that the State Government considers the Bass Coast as a unique case with regards to planning, it appears very concerning.”

The Bass Coast Shire Council has also been asked for comment.