Together, we can protect the Bellarine for future generations. Please sign and share this Statement of Objection and Re-zoning Request widely.

I, the undersigned, object to the use and development of a supermarket at 2341-2349 Bellarine Highway, Swan Bay and request that the land be rezoned as a Special Use Zone for the reasons outlined below:

1. The wrong proposal in the wrong place
• A full-line supermarket and car park is totally out of character for Swan Bay’s gateway.
• It is contrary to local planning policy — Clause 11.03-6L-01 (Bellarine Peninsula), which calls for low-scale, low-key, environmentally sensitive development and for retail to be located in existing centres.
• It threatens the internationally protected Ramsar wetlands with stormwater, light, and noise spill.
• It undermines our village centres in Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff.

2. The planning scheme is broken
• The land is zoned Commercial 2, a relic of a statewide rezoning.
• This was never the intent of our local planning.
• That’s why Coles can even try to put a supermarket here.

3. The Structure Plan (2009) had the solution
• Both the City of Greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe endorsed it.
• It says the site’s current zoning is “inappropriate” and must be rezoned.
• It calls for a Special Use Zone for tourism-related, low-scale development — and to exclude supermarkets and bulky goods retail.

4. We need to fix it for good
• We are not just opposing Coles.
• We are also requesting that the land be rezoned now to the Special Use Zone promised in 2009.
• This is the only way to protect the gateway permanently.

5. Federal and State obligations must be upheld
• Ramsar wetlands are protected under the EPBC Act 1999. Any proposal within proximity must be referred to the Federal Environment Minister for assessment. To proceed without referral would be unlawful.
• The site also directly abuts the Protected Settlement Boundary (PSB) on two sides. Approving a bulky retail use here would breach the intent of the Bellarine SPP, which guarantees hard edges and compact towns as it would visually and functionally breach that edge, undermining the credibility of the Bellarine DAL framework.

6. The proposal fails the legal “community need” test
• Under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Victorian Planning Provisions, retail proposals outside existing centres must demonstrate a genuine community need and net community benefit.
• The local permanent population is far below the number of residents normally required to sustain a supermarket.
• The proposal is not driven by local demand. Instead, it seeks to capture seasonal holidaymakers and passing highway traffic — which does not meet the legal planning test of “community need.”
• On these grounds alone, the proposal is inconsistent with Clause 17.02-2S (Out-of-Centre Development) and Clause 11.03-6L-01 (Bellarine Peninsula) and should be refused.