PETITION TO STOP KINGSWOOD GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT
SUPREME COURT APPEAL
WHAT HAS HAPPENED
The proposed redevelopment of Kingswood Golf Course in Dingley Village - a flood-affected site - has been approved not because its merits were properly tested, but because Kingston City Council was ruled to be four days late in lodging appeal paperwork with (VCAT).
This ruling has extinguished the Council’s right to challenge the State Planning Minister’s October 2025 approval of Satterley Property Group’s development — despite:
13 years of sustained community opposition
More than 8,000 objections
Serious unresolved flood-plain and infrastructure concerns
VCAT acknowledged that Kingston City Council made an administrative error in calculating the appeal deadline (14 November instead of 10 November 2025). However, the Tribunal also confirmed that the communications from the Planning Minister’s department were ambiguous and confusing, contributing to the error. Notably, even the developer did not clearly understand the correct deadline.
IS THIS WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY?
WHY THIS MATTERS
Residents have now been denied justice at the most critical stage of the planning process - not on planning merits, but due to an admitted administrative mistake by Council.
This outcome permanently alters the future of Dingley Village and undermines public confidence in planning integrity across the Kingston municipality.
SERIOUS GOVERNANCE CONCERNS
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The Planning Minister, Sonya Kilkenny, also serves as Attorney-General and has the power to allow a four-day extension, yet has refused to do so;
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VCAT itself reports into the Attorney-General, raising an obvious conflict-of-interest concern;
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The Local Government Minister, Nick Staikos, appointed Municipal Monitors to Kingston City Council in August 2025 - just two months before the highly contentious planning decision;
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Melbourne Water’s flood-plain analysis and conduct were never properly tested and can no longer be examined due to the procedural shut-out.
WHY A SUPREME COURT APPEAL IS ESSENTIAL
Failure by Kingston City Council to pursue a Supreme Court appeal will:
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Cement an injustice caused by administrative error
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Abandon residents after 13 years of lawful advocacy
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Raise further and unavoidable integrity questions for all parties involved
This is not about politics.
It is about procedural fairness, governance accountability, and the public interest.
SIGN THIS PETITION
Demand Kingston City Council take responsibility, seek justice, and act decisively — before this failure becomes irreversible.