The City of Greater Geelong has requested the Minister for Planning appoint a Standing Advisory Committee to facilitate the planning of the Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas.
Spanning 5500 hectares across Lovely Banks and Batesford, the Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas will eventually house around 110,000 residents, which is larger than the current population of Ballarat.
The areas are the largest growth front in regional Victoria and were identified in the Greater Geelong Settlement Strategy as vital to addressing population growth and housing demand.
The growth areas will be rolled out as a sequence of nine separate precincts, each with its own structure plan that details the required community facilities and infrastructure.
Two precinct structure plans and a biodiversity conservation strategy are being developed, requiring three planning scheme amendments to implement these initiatives into the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.
Seven more precinct structure plans will be developed over the next decade that will also require amendments.
Council resolved to seek an alternative approach to the regular planning scheme amendment process as there are some time savings available and consistency in how independent reviews are conducted, that will lead to better planning outcomes.
The City said an advisory committee for the growth areas would be more efficient in resolving changes to the planning scheme. The process would maintain the opportunity for public exhibition, community consultation, independent review and council adoption of a final decision.
Councillor Kylie Grzybek, chair of the Statutory and Strategic Planning portfolio, said the committee will provide a process for the resolution of issues, as well as timely advice to council and the Minister for Planning.
“The Standing Advisory Committee will deal with precinct structure plans, development contributions, a biodiversity conservation strategy and any associated draft planning scheme amendments,” Cr Grzybek said.
“The committee will ensure a carefully managed and coordinated planning and approval process to deliver on our Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas Framework Plan.”
