Scores of protestors banded against plans for a 941-home ‘ghetto’ at the former Kingswood Golf Course on Sunday 27 July.
Dingley Village residents were joined by Liberal MP Ann-Marie Hermans and Kingston councillor Caroline White at the protest.
Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is set to decide on the development plan for the 54-hectare site. She also has subsumed council’s planning powers over the estate.
Save Kingswood Group president Kevin Poulter said the “only village in Melbourne” was being threatened by the State Government’s “unachievable” push for new housing.
“This is scandalous and ruins Dingley Village for nonsensical, unachievable political ideology.
“Kingston Council has said it can achieve housing targets without destroying Dingley Village.”
The Government ignored its independent Golf Couse Advisory Committee’s recommendations and instead “ripped away” the council’s planning powers to make Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny the “sole decider”, Poulter says.
The 941-home proposal by developer Satterley is an 18 per cent increase on previous owner AustralianSuper’s controversial plan for 800 lots.
It proposes a mix of detached homes and townhouses of two to three storeys, including townhouse lots as narrow as 4.5 metres.
The affordable housing offering was “voluntarily” lifted to 10 per cent – or 94 homes.
“Useable” open space comprises 20 per cent of the 49.5 hectares of “developable land” – not including water bodies and drainage works.
Poulter says the “grotesque high density” plan lacks adequate flood mitigations, GP and child care services and adds traffic congestion.
Cr White said the protest was a “stand against environmental degradation and over-extension of public services that could affect us all”.
In recent weeks, Kingston Council – which has opposed the previous 800-unit plan – raised concerns over the extra homes, the “very small size” of some blocks and little detail on community facilities.
AustralianSuper bought the site for a purported $125 million in 2014, divesting it to Satterley last year.
The estate would include lower-priced townhouses for first home buyers and larger housing on smaller blocks for younger families with “immaculately landscaped open spaces”, chief executive Nigel Satterley said at the time.
The Planning Minister’s decision is expected in mid-2025.
