By Andrew Cantwell
Casey administrators have reversed the sacked Casey Council’s endorsement of a rezoning proposal at Cranbourne West at the centre of an active IBAC corruption probe.
The rezoning, first raised in 2014, would have led to windfall profits to the landholders, and the IBAC inquiry is looking at the dealings of property developer and planner John Woodman, some former Casey councillors, lobbyists and State officials – with IBAC probing the timing and nature of payments reportedly in excess of $1.2 million.
The C219 rezoning proposal to change industrial land to residential has already been quashed by State Planning Minister Richard Wynne.
At their meeting on Tuesday 1 December, Casey administrators noted two land-use surveys released this year that impacted Casey and the South East growth areas of Melbourne.
In light of the information in the surveys, administrators resolved to reverse two specific motions of the former council, dated 16 December 2014 and 15 May 2018, specifically backing the rezoning being championed by Mr Woodman.
Further, the administrators threw their support behind the retention of ‘employment’ land at Cranbourne West and at Casey Fields South.
Interested parties involved in the 2014 and 2018 council motions will be notified of the new stance.
