The Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy will confine residential development to existing settlements and preserve the green space between.
By Catherine Watson
THE long-awaited Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP), released last week, will guide our shire over the next 50 years. The policy will be adopted into the Bass Coast Planning Scheme and govern decisions about planning matters to be made by the council and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
It’s the final outcome of the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscape (DAL) project, designed to stop Bass Coast ending up like the Gold Coast, where towns and villages have been engulfed by a 100km swathe of coastal suburbia.
THE long-awaited Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP), released last week, will guide our shire over the next 50 years. The policy will be adopted into the Bass Coast Planning Scheme and govern decisions about planning matters to be made by the council and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
It’s the final outcome of the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscape (DAL) project, designed to stop Bass Coast ending up like the Gold Coast, where towns and villages have been engulfed by a 100km swathe of coastal suburbia.
With the release of the SPP, 27 of the shire’s 29 settlements now have planning certainty, with protected settlement boundaries.
The two missing from the list are Inverloch and Wonthaggi, where the boundaries are subject to further strategic planning work.
The council will undertake this work over the next year, in collaboration with the Bunurong people and relevant government agencies and authorities. It will also involve public consultation.
Wonthaggi is expected to absorb most of Bass Coast’s residential growth over the next decades to spare the coastal settlements.
The SPP notes that as a regional centre and Bass Coast’s primary service and employment centre, Wonthaggi offers opportunities for the large-scale expansion of residential, commercial, community and industrial land uses.
“Growth will be accommodated within designated growth areas and through infill development within the settlement area. Housing change will occur within and around the commercial centre.”
Much of the new residential development is already pegged in under the Wonthaggi North-East Precinct Structure Plan, which will eventually double Wonthaggi’s population.
Gazetted by the State Government last year, the plan unlocks 444 hectares of residential land for development. Over 5000 homes are expected to be established in the precinct over the next 30-50 years, housing more than 12,000 people.
Community facilities will include a primary school, local parks, over 90 hectares of open space, trails and a new sports reserve for residents.
The amended boundary investigation area for Wonthaggi also includes two large land parcels at the request of the landowners who submitted to the DAL project. Both are in the Farming Zone, and the owners have pressed for rezoning over the past decade.
The two missing from the list are Inverloch and Wonthaggi, where the boundaries are subject to further strategic planning work.
The council will undertake this work over the next year, in collaboration with the Bunurong people and relevant government agencies and authorities. It will also involve public consultation.
Wonthaggi is expected to absorb most of Bass Coast’s residential growth over the next decades to spare the coastal settlements.
The SPP notes that as a regional centre and Bass Coast’s primary service and employment centre, Wonthaggi offers opportunities for the large-scale expansion of residential, commercial, community and industrial land uses.
“Growth will be accommodated within designated growth areas and through infill development within the settlement area. Housing change will occur within and around the commercial centre.”
Much of the new residential development is already pegged in under the Wonthaggi North-East Precinct Structure Plan, which will eventually double Wonthaggi’s population.
Gazetted by the State Government last year, the plan unlocks 444 hectares of residential land for development. Over 5000 homes are expected to be established in the precinct over the next 30-50 years, housing more than 12,000 people.
Community facilities will include a primary school, local parks, over 90 hectares of open space, trails and a new sports reserve for residents.
The amended boundary investigation area for Wonthaggi also includes two large land parcels at the request of the landowners who submitted to the DAL project. Both are in the Farming Zone, and the owners have pressed for rezoning over the past decade.
Source: Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy
Submission 154 relates to a parcel of approximately 50 hectares on the west side of the Rifle Range, which has previously been used for grazing.
The submission advised of various ongoing issues, including flooding and use of part of the land as wetlands, issues with kangaroos, fire breaks, fire and water management. The submission notes the land is no longer suitable for farming, and seeks for it to be included in the PSB for residential development.
“Our area is quite and unique and would attract professionals,” the submission concludes, “beneficial to the town, especially with our great new Wonthaggi Hospital.”
Submitter 270 presented at the Hearing in relation to an 87-hectare parcel of land in Carneys Road, to the east of Wonthaggi. The submitter noted that the land was bought in 2008 for the purpose of creating a Wonthaggi Lifestyle Precinct. The submitter proposes to develop a sustainable residential development of approximately 400 homes on lots between 1,000 and 2,000 square metres, connected by a series of walkable and green streets and parks.
The owners have previously submitted their development proposal to the council. The submitter urged the committee to see this proposal as being complementary to the North-East Growth Area and submitted it should be likened to a logical inclusion.
Inverloch
The SPP states that growth will be accommodated through infill development and by developing vacant land within the existing settlement area.
“Development should have a distinct coastal character. In areas of minimal housing change, development at Inverloch will occur on larger lots with wide frontages. Buildings should be casually sited on lots with low site coverage, providing space for boats, other recreational pursuits and vegetation. Street spaces should be generous and well-vegetated and have informal pedestrian environments.”
The submission advised of various ongoing issues, including flooding and use of part of the land as wetlands, issues with kangaroos, fire breaks, fire and water management. The submission notes the land is no longer suitable for farming, and seeks for it to be included in the PSB for residential development.
“Our area is quite and unique and would attract professionals,” the submission concludes, “beneficial to the town, especially with our great new Wonthaggi Hospital.”
Submitter 270 presented at the Hearing in relation to an 87-hectare parcel of land in Carneys Road, to the east of Wonthaggi. The submitter noted that the land was bought in 2008 for the purpose of creating a Wonthaggi Lifestyle Precinct. The submitter proposes to develop a sustainable residential development of approximately 400 homes on lots between 1,000 and 2,000 square metres, connected by a series of walkable and green streets and parks.
The owners have previously submitted their development proposal to the council. The submitter urged the committee to see this proposal as being complementary to the North-East Growth Area and submitted it should be likened to a logical inclusion.
Inverloch
The SPP states that growth will be accommodated through infill development and by developing vacant land within the existing settlement area.
“Development should have a distinct coastal character. In areas of minimal housing change, development at Inverloch will occur on larger lots with wide frontages. Buildings should be casually sited on lots with low site coverage, providing space for boats, other recreational pursuits and vegetation. Street spaces should be generous and well-vegetated and have informal pedestrian environments.”