Detailed plans for a bold development project at Lake Narracan have been released to the public as part of the second stage of community consultation.
Shops, walking tracks and more than 3000 new homes are proposed to be constructed at the popular watering hole over the next 30 years.
Addressing council at a special meeting on Monday night, some existing residents of the precinct expressed fears about an increase in their council rates if land was rezoned well in advance of any development.
Rhonda Jankovic owns more than two hectares along Thompsons Road, currently zoned semi-rural, and fears rezoning land to residential could be an unbearable financial burden for landholders.
“A lot of people are elderly down here, they’ve finished work,” Ms Jankovic said.
“We don’t know how long it is until there will be development.”
Ms Jankovic said she and her husband did not intend to subdivide their property, and under the development plans, their lot was in a habitat zone to be protected.
Latrobe City’s acting chief executive John Mitchell said if the Lake Narracan Precinct Structure Plan was approved by the State Government, the whole area would effectively be rezoned, the details of which are yet to be finalised. According to council, the earliest opportunity for development would be late 2015 or early 2016, which would require ministerial approval early next year.
Mr Mitchell said council would need to form a policy position on a rating strategy, and this would not only apply to Lake Narracan, but the rest of the municipality.
He said properties made up primarily of habitat protection areas would have less potential for residential development and this would be reflected in their valuation.
Committee for Moe president Manny Gelagotis – a member of the consortium of developers who own land on the west end of the lake – described the area as a regional asset and welcomed the community consultation period.
“From day one, this has been a project that really has been ideally planned,” Mr Gelagotis said.
He said he understood the concerns of existing residents, as a family property in the area was likely to be affected by the development.
“We’re looking at it from a future perspective. Hopefully everyone’s concerns can be addressed,” he said.
The public consultation period will run until 29 August.
The Lake Narracan Precinct Structure Plan can be viewed at council service centres or at
www.latrobe.vic.gov.au from tomorrow.
