Under s60 1(e) of the Planning and Environment Act the Council must consider     "any significant effects which the responsible authority considers the use or development may have on the environment or which the responsible authority considers the environment may have on the use or development". I note Council's comment that it has "no idea" of the effect the development will have on the wildlife in the adjoining heathland sanctuary. If this was a private development Council would have required an environmental study. There is a real conflict of interest between Council entering into a MOU/HOA to build the Netball Courts and then being the responsible authority to consider the application.

Wangara Road is a former landfill site, and Council seem to have failed to consider this when they proposed it as a site. Methane generation can be a problem for buildings on former tip sites (see Gas Risk report in Council's Planning Permit Register for 20 Wangara Rd permit no 106/2019). Someone should FOI Council's MOU and/or Heads of Agreement concerning the development at Sandringham College. I am also wondering if use permits are required as the use of the building for public sport may not fall within the "education" exemption? Failure to apply for Use permits is a common theme at Bayside (see Bence v Bayside VCAT 2020).

The problem is that Council plays sporting groups off against residents. The issue is not whether or not to have netball courts, but where they are located. There are a very large number of community groups who are less than happy with Bayside Council. At Dendy Beach Council has portrayed residents as "anti-sport" for opposing a massive commercial development next to the iconic bathing boxes. The Council have spent over $1milion in legal fees to date, and the matter is currently with the Supreme Court. Numerous other groups have taken or are taking Council to VCAT, for their various development proposals on public parkland. Lack of adequate consultation and lack of proper process appear to be common themes. I am trying to get a petition together to ask for an independent investigation into Bayside Council's practices.