Peterborough housing development will see 53 new homes built in a town with just 322 people

Jeff Page has watched Peterborough grow for 30 years. Now he's about to watch bulldozers prepare 53 new housing lots across the road from his front fence.

In a town of just 322 people, the prospect of a large development in Peterborough was never going to pass quietly.

“I'm not against people and businesses trying to make money,” he told the Brolga, “[But] I’d like to know their thinking - where do we put the peg in the ground, where does it stop, how much can the koala bear?”

What happened: Last Tuesday, Moyne Shire councillors approved a contentious subdivision on Old Peterborough Road in a 4-2 vote, overriding years of community resistance and exposing divisions around how, and how fast, the coastal hamlet should grow.

The subdivision would see the number of dwellings potentially grow from roughly 80 - according to the 2021 census - to about 130. 

Overdevelopment? For Jeff Page, whose house - purchased in 1993 - sits directly across from the proposed subdivision, the vote marks another step in what he sees as a steady erosion of Peterborough’s identity.

• “Just because there's land doesn't mean we need to stash as many properties as we can,” Page said, describing the town as “one of the last untouched places along the Great Ocean Road by urban planners”.

The background: The application for this development has been publicly exhibited three times over nearly three years, drawing seven objections and repeated design changes.

• Peterborough Residents Group chair Matthew Bowden told councillors community sentiment was clear, urging them to keep the town as “a village in hamlet” where “less is more”.

• Concerns ranged from bushfire risk and traffic access to the adequacy of drainage near residential areas.

Councillors divided: Inside the chamber, councillors themselves appeared conflicted.

• Councillor Karen Foster, who seconded the motion, said she understood residents’ concerns but council had to assess the application against planning rules. 

• She said “development happens” and it was the council's role to decide whether the proposal met those requirements.

• Councillor Jim Doukas questioned how increasing density could align with Peterborough’s village character, while councillor Lloyd Ross said he was “really disappointed”, describing parts of the proposed open space as unsuitable low-lying land.

The permit was ultimately carried by councillors Foster, Myra Murrihy, Susan Taylor and mayor Jordan Lockett.

Concerns linger: The outcome raises broader local concerns about the town’s current infrastructure keeping pace with growth.

• “Our parking can handle 20 cars at most, and I wonder if any forethought has been given to handle this and to keep the quaintness and the feel of a lovely little country town,” Page said.

• “It’s just a natural progression that houses are spreading, but what’s the right level of housing in a little hamlet like this, when you haven’t got the infrastructure to handle it?”