Have your say on proposed Amendment C229 to protect the Southern Brown Bandicoot's habitat
Have your say on proposed Amendment C229
This proposed amendment to the Cardinia Planning Scheme seeks to protect and enhance habitat for the Southern Brown Bandicoot, an endangered native marsupial, by applying Schedule 7 to the Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO7) to all land within the Urban Growth Boundary of Garfield and Bunyip and all land zoned for urban purposes within Tynong.
You are invited to give feedback on the proposed amendment.
Closing date for submissions
5pm, Wednesday 7 November 2018.
Which properties would be affected by the amendment?
All land within the Urban Growth Boundary of Garfield and Bunyip, and all land zoned for urban purposes within Tynong.
The amendment mainly affects new developments and subdivisions in the 3 townships.
Why are we proposing this change?
The Southern Brown Bandicoot (SBB) is an endangered marsupial under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and is also protected by the Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act).
We engaged Ecology Australia to help develop an overlay to protect and enhance the SBB’s habitat.
Cardinia Shire is home to a large SBB population in the former Koo Wee Rup Swamp area which comprises four smaller sub-populations in Dalmore-Koo Wee Rup, Bayles, Cardinia-Rythdale, and Garfield-Longwarry.
The SBB live in thick vegetation including native vegetation, exotic long grass and prickly dense weeds (including blackberries). This habitat protects them from predators such as cats and foxes.
Threats to the SBB include:
- being eaten
- being hit by cars
- loss of habitat and corridor fragmentation (through the clearing of native and exotic vegetation)
- new urban infrastructure such as solid fences blocking their movements between habitat areas.
Recent developments in the townships of Bunyip, Garfield and Tynong have resulted in inconsistent planning permit requirements and outcomes to protect the SBB.
A number of developers have cleared all Bandicoot habitat on a site by site basis, therefore creating gaps in the SBB movement corridors.
The current ad hoc pattern of subdivisions has led to some properties having no or inadequate provision of habitat for the species, while other properties have variable width corridors and inconsistent management requirements.
Without a holistic approach to create and preserve SBB habitat, they are likely to become extinct locally.
What changes are proposed to the Cardinia Planning Scheme?
Amendment C229 seeks to:
- insert a new Schedule 7 to Clause 42.01 Environmental Significance Overlay.
- amend the Schedule to Clause 66.04 - Referral of Permit Applications Under Local Provisions, to include the Secretary to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) as a recommending referral authority under the ESO7.
- amends Planning Scheme Map No.s 20-24ESO.
View the draft amendment
Online
To view proposed Amendment C229 to the Cardinia Planning Scheme go to the DELWP website
Hard copy
You can also view it in hard copy during office hours, at no cost, at:
- Cardinia Shire, Customer Service Centre, 20 Siding Avenue, Officer
- Pakenham Library, corner John Street and Henry Street, Pakenham
How to give feedback
Participate in the online poll
Community drop-in sessions
- Tuesday 16 October 2018, 1pm to 3pm at Bunyip Community House, 27 Main Street Bunyip
- Wednesday 24 October 2018, 1pm to 3pm at Garfield Picture Theatre, 53 Main Street, Garfield
- Wednesday 31 October 2018, 1pm to 3pm at Tynong Fire Brigade, 47 Nar Nar Goon–Longwarry Road Tynong
Make a submission in writing
Anyone can make a written submission on the proposed amendment. The closing date for submissions is 5pm, Wednesday 7 November 2018.
Your submission can:
- support the amendment
- seek changes to the form and/or content of the amendment
- not support the amendment.
Download a form
Download this submission form to make a submission, or you can write your own. You can submit it by email, post or drop it into our customser service centre.
| mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au (Subject line: Amendment C229 Submission) | |
| Post |
Cardinia Shire Council |
| In person |
Council's Customer Service Centre |
If you do not support the amendment
Please note that if you do not support the amendment and want your submission formally considered by Council you need to make a formal submission explaining your reasons and what changes you seek.
Next steps
All submissions received are public documents and Council must consider all submissions as part of the amendment process.
If concerns cannot be resolved by making changes to the amendment, Council may refer submissions to an independent planning panel (appointed by the Minister for Planning) for review.
The planning panel will review each submission individually and provide a report with recommendations to Council and the Minister for Planning.
Preset Hearing dates have been set:
- Directions Hearing: Week starting Monday 18 February 2019
- Panel Hearing: Week starting Monday 18 March 2019
We will provide confirmed dates and details of any Planning Panel hearing to those who make a submission.
More information
Contact our Strategic Planning Team on 1300 787 624 or mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au