Catherine Kruse

Community outrage continues in the battle to protect the iconic Dandenong Ranges from inappropriate development following Knox Council’s recent failure to adopt the independent Panel recommendation for mandatory maximum height controls in the Upper Ferntree Gully Activity Centre. Knox Appropriate Development Alliance President, Catherine Kruse said that a petition to the State Government calling for their intervention is gathering momentum with interest from across Victoria. A rally is also planned for Monday February 27th at the Knox Council offices.

“Knox Council has shown that it cannot be trusted to act in the best interest of the community, and it is time for the Victorian Government to intervene and adopt the panel recommendations before the gateway to the Dandenongs is destroyed forever”, she said.

Ms Kruse said that people are gobsmacked that Council continues to ignore, not only the wishes of the community, who have fought a long and hard battle, but the professional recommendations of
their own experts and the government appointed Planning Panel.

“The recommendations were quite clear – that mandatory maximum building heights – not discretionary as proposed by the council, will provide the Upper Ferntree Gully Neighbourhood Activity Centre the protection required from inappropriate development”.

“The rest of the foothills activity centres in Knox have that protection and surety (mandatory height controls). We call on the State Government not to sign off on discretionary controls and to intervene and save the Dandenong Ranges”, Ms Kruse said. “We call on members of the public to get behind the petition and attend at Knox Council on February 27th at 6.30pm.”

The petition will be presented to Upper House MP, Edward O’Donohue on February 27th at 6.30pm at the Knox Council, 511 Burwood Highway, Wantirna. Contact: Catherine Kruse – 0415 871 268