In the midst of letters to the Editor of The Age criticising planning issues being decided behind closed doors and “cash for chat”, the minister has decided finally to comment by way of his own letter to the editor and defend his position in having pre-application meetings with developers.

What is ironical in the case of the Former Port Phillip Woollen Mill Site in Williamstown is that Council told the developer his application was incomplete and needed to be resubmitted. Then the developer applies directly to the minister to change the zoning without reference to Hobsons Bay City Council. We are definitely subsumed in a developer-led planning environment where community consultation is either dead or ignored.

“The minister says

PRE-APPLICATION meetings with developers take place, but it is wrong to report that approval is sought or given at these meetings. No indication of whether an application will be approved is given.

All councils encourage pre-application meetings for significant developments because they avoid lodging of incomplete applications. They are good practice, whether the decision-maker is the council or the Victorian government.

Justin Madden, Victorian Planning Minister, Melbourne”

http://www.theage.com.au/national/letters/the-secrecy-and-the-spin-should-worry-us-all-20100616-ygab.html