Dad’s gift to son’s future

By Paul Pickering
A NEWCOMER to the Dandenong Ranges has emerged as a surprise financier to a working party formed to fight the Shire of Yarra Ranges’ contentious draft housing strategy.
At a crisis meeting called by the Upper Yarra and Dandenong Ranges Environment Council (UYDREC) at the Tin Shed in Belgrave last Tuesday, 9 October, new Belgrave resident Allan Coutinho-Hogan made an unprompted donation of $500 towards the start-up costs of a 12-member working party which was set up to defend the shire from over-development.
Mr Coutinho-Hogan last week said the donation was a small price to pay to protect the lifestyle that he envisaged when purchasing his Belgrave home just three months ago.
That lifestyle, he says, has been threatened by the draft Housing Strategy and Action Plan that has been released for consultation by the shire.
The document outlines the shire’s plans for a move towards allowing higher density development in and around town centres – with an eye towards providing smaller homes to accommodate an ageing population.
Mr Coutinho-Hogan, however, believes higher density development will jeopardise the natural blessings of the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley.
“I’ve arrived in Belgrave a week ago,” the former-Northcote resident explained last week.
“We searched 100 miles around Melbourne for a place to live and chose Belgrave because it was the perfect place to bring up our four-year-old son.
“I don’t know where else my son can swing on the branch of an oak tree, chase kookaburras and feed rosellas in the backyard.”
Mr Coutinho-Hogan, whose knowledge of planning policy stems from serving a term as mayor of Preston, said he fears the vacant block of land adjacent to his property will soon be the site of a three-storey block of units.
“Once (development) starts you can’t stop it,” he warned.
“If they pass this, the hills – and the lifestyle people here have – is going to be gone.
“In 15 years you’re going to have the City of Knox up here.”
When questioned as to why he decided to pledge the donation to the fledgling working group, Mr Coutinho-Hogan described the gesture as “an investment in my son’s future”.
UYDREC president Jo Tenner said the donation would go towards printing costs for mail-outs and fliers to inform the community about the implications of the draft Housing Strategy and Action Plan.
“(The donation) was fantastic and it certainly shows people are serious about how they feel about their local environment,” she said.
Ms Tenner said that the formation of the working group would be finalised this week.
Responding to the concerns of residents, the shire’s manager of community relations, James Martin, was keen to emphasise that the strategy was only at the draft stage.
“None of this is a done deal,” Mr Martin said.
“There is no way we want to jeopardise the iconic nature of the Dandenongs.”
Due to the weight of public interest in the document, the shire is set to announce additional information sessions to be held throughout the municipality.
While the initial deadline for formal submissions was 2 November, Mr Martin said the shire was likely to extend the consultation period.
The draft Housing Strategy and Action Plan can be viewed online at www.yarra ranges.vic.gov.au.