RESIDENTS are ramping up their efforts in the fight against over-development in Ballarat East.
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The Ballarat East Network has recently increased its online presence and is hoping to get hundreds of residents and several councillors to a community meeting next weekend.
BE Network spokeswoman Erin McCuskey said residents were not against development, just bad development.
“There’s so much anger out here and people are asking ‘what can I do about this huge development?’,” she said
“Developers walk in with ticky-tack brick boxes to plonk on the land and that is really destructive.
“Many residents are feeling very disenfranchised and powerless in the face of the onslaught and are passionate about protecting the personality of Ballarat East, which is very different from the rest of Ballarat.”
Legal battles taken up by Ballarat East residents have been against developments on Stockade Street, Rodier Street, Highvista Grove and two on Fussell Street.
Ms McCuskey said that while many residents were frustrated, she hoped the meeting would be productive.
“We want to look at things like different avenues for protection in this area,” she said.
“Is it changing zoning, having a strategic plan in place for five years, or restricting blocks out here from being further subdivided?”
City of Ballarat mayor Mark Harris admitted there were problems in the current zoning system.
“We acknowledge there’s some real issues in the lack of sophistication in the planning scheme for Victoria as a whole,” he said. “Particularly in a place like Ballarat, to call the centre of Ballarat and Sparrow Ground as the same residential zone just isn’t right.”
Cr Harris said that under the current planning scheme council had very few restrictions to refuse developments, but a strategic plan developed with Ballarat East residents could change that and be used as a model in other areas.
South Ward Councillor Des Hudson emphasised that the council was on the same side as residents.
“It’s a good opportunity for us to sit down with residents and have a discussion that begins to define neighbourhood character,” Cr Hudson said.
“But also for us to be able to find some common ground that sends a clear message to developers about what type and level of development the community is comfortable with.”
The meeting will be held at Ballarat Secondary College east campus between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday March 18. To find out more information go to www.ballarateast.net.
Cr Harris said he could not be at the meeting because he was rostered to work at Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital that day.
