Council calls for independent scrutiny before decision on Clarkefield

Macedon Ranges Shire Council has formally called on the Minister for Planning to pause a decision on Amendment C164 – Clarkefield Township Development until major unresolved planning, infrastructure, safety, environmental and financial matters have been independently reviewed and addressed.  

As the level of government responsible for representing local communities and managing the long-term impacts of development, Council is seeking greater certainty that any future growth in Clarkefield is safe, sustainable, well-serviced and in the best interests of current and future residents.  

The proposal would shape Clarkefield for more than 20 years, with long-term implications for existing communities, future residents, ratepayers, infrastructure delivery and the wider shire.  

Council’s position reflects its responsibility to advocate for residents, manage long-term community infrastructure and ensure future development does not create avoidable costs, risks or service gaps for current or future ratepayers.  

While Council supports well-planned growth backed by appropriate infrastructure, services and evidence, it does not support Amendment C164 proceeding in its current form. Council considers the proposal premature because strategic planning, environmental, infrastructure, governance, housing and community safety issues remain unresolved and should be addressed before any determination is made.  

Council says the proposal needs further independent scrutiny in the following areas:  

• Planning evidence and policy alignment, including the strategic basis for the amendment and its relationship to Council’s Settlement Strategy and relevant state planning policy.
• Whether the proposal is required now, given existing and planned growth opportunities elsewhere in the municipality. 
• Local employment opportunities, town centre viability and whether the proposal can realistically deliver a 20-minute neighbourhood. 
• Affordable housing commitments, delivery mechanisms, timing and long-term enforceability. 
• Protection of Clarkefield’s landscape, township character, environmental values, native vegetation and habitat. 
• Delivery, timing and funding of roads, drainage, open space, community facilities, emergency access and essential services. 
• Traffic, public transport, staged infrastructure assumptions and emergency evacuation capacity. 
• Long-term governance, asset ownership, maintenance responsibilities and potential cost impacts for Council, government and the community. 
• Bushfire risk, emergency services capacity and the safety of existing and future residents. 
• A stronger focus on avoiding and minimising environmental impacts before offsets are considered.  
• A transparent process that gives Council and the community sufficient time and clarity to assess a proposal of this scale.  

To provide greater confidence for the community, future residents and all levels of government, Council is asking the Minister to defer consideration of the amendment, commission an independent review and test the proposal through a transparent public process before any decision is made. Council is specifically seeking the following actions from the Minister:  

• Defer consideration of the amendment until key issues have been resolved.
• Undertake independent peer and legal review of the proposal.
• Provide greater certainty about the delivery and funding of roads, drainage, emergency access, community infrastructure and essential services.
• Clarify long-term governance, asset ownership and maintenance responsibilities.
• Prepare a Resource and Administrative Costs Impact Statement to identify long-term implications for Council and the community.
• Prepare a Net Social Benefit Assessment to support transparent consideration of community impacts.
• Prepare a Net Economic Benefit Assessment to clarify the proposal’s economic implications.
• Protect normal notice and community participation by not exempting the amendment or associated permit applications from normal notice provisions.
• Defer Amendment C164 to a Priority Projects Standing Advisory Committee so the proposal can be independently examined through a transparent public process.  

Council’s advocacy position is focused on ensuring any future growth in Clarkefield is safe, well-serviced, liveable and sustainable; that long-term responsibilities and costs are understood before decisions are made; and that housing, employment, infrastructure and community outcomes are delivered in a coordinated and evidence-based manner.  

Council is committed to ensuring residents have meaningful opportunities to understand, consider and participate in decisions that could shape Clarkefield and the wider shire for decades.  

To support this, Council is preparing the launch of a Community Advocacy Toolkit to help residents understand the amendment, Council’s concerns and how they can participate in the planning process. The guide provides practical information, key issues and prompts to support informed and constructive community input.  

Council’s endorsed position emphasises that any future development at Clarkefield must be properly planned, transparently assessed and supported by the infrastructure and services needed to create a liveable community. 

Quotes attributable to Mayor Cassy Borthwick, Macedon Ranges Shire Council:  

“Council supports well-planned and coordinated growth that is supported by appropriate infrastructure, services and community facilities. Development should create complete and connected communities, rather than leaving residents without the infrastructure, services and connections needed to support long-term liveability.” 

“This is not opposition to new development or growth in principle. Council’s position reflects the community’s lack of confidence that the proposal is thoughtful, well-planned and ready.” 

“The cost to Council and the community for responsibility and maintenance of key infrastructure is not clear, and this presents an unreasonable risk and burden to ratepayers and government.” 

“The community deserves a fair process and a fully evidenced proposal before a decision of this scale is made.”