VICROADS has confirmed it will apply for a new amendment for a Horsham bypass.
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At a Horsham Rural City Council meeting on Monday night, technical services director John Martin said council received a letter from VicRoads that confirmed its position on the bypass.
While VicRoads is yet to formally apply for the new amendment, Mr Martin said the amendment would propose option D with consideration to an independent panel’s recommendation of the planning amendment C72. “In terms of VicRoads intentions it has been unclear and this provides some confirmation of their intentions,” he said.
Mr Martin said Planning Minister Richard Wynne would establish an advisory committee. The committee would consider the new amendment put forward by VicRoads. Cr David Grimble said VicRoads made its position clear that option D met their criteria.
However, he said council should not speculate about Roads Minister Luke Donnellan and Mr Wynne’s preference.
Cr Grimble said Mr Wynne asked the community what it wanted out of a bypass. He said council has a responsibility to advise the minister on its strategic outcomes.
He said the aerodrome and the ability to cross the river to the west of Horsham were core issues associated with the bypass and option D. “When they construct the bypass the impact is real. We can choose to have our leg in the door or end up with what the minister decides,” he said.
“The minister has not made any determination and he will not do that until he gets the facts in front of him.”
A Horsham community group has welcomed the move to establish an advisory committee.
Strategic directions group chairman Kevin Dellar said the group wrote to Mr Donnellan and Mr Wynne, recommending that planning amendment C72 was abandoned in December last year.
The group asked the ministers that “trust be restored” through consultation with the community and alternatives to option D be objectively investigated, among a number of other recommendations.
While administrative issues influenced the decision to abandon amendment C72, Mr Dellar said the decision showed that logical reasoning supported by clear evidence could contribute to change.
“This is welcome news from the planning minister, particularly when our council had decided last year not to have a constructive position that advanced our community's best interest,” he said. “We can recommend constructive ideas for far better options and our whole community will be able to express its serious concerns.”