A heritage overlay could be removed from properties in Winchelsea after Surf Coast Shire Council decided to advocate for an amendment.
Councillors unanimously agreed during council’s 25 November meeting to request authorisation from the Minister for Planning to prepare an amendment to remove heritage overlay from a parcel of land.
Councillor Tony Phelps said Amendment C150surf proposed a mapping correction to remove Heritage Overlay (HO150) from 23 properties as it no longer served a purpose.
“This amendment relates to the heritage property known as Balgownie, which originally was located on a large parcel of land previously addressed as 65-67 Main Street in Winchelsea,” he said.
“The land stretched from Main Street next to the highway all the way down to the Barwon River, but has since been subdivided with the heritage building retained on a discrete lot at 65 Main Street.
“The land was subdivided into 23 residential lots, now known as the River View Estate…with the amendment proposing a mapping correction to remove the heritage overlay from those properties.
“The heritage overlay continues to apply to the heritage dwelling; however, it serves no purpose for the 23 other lots other than to trigger a planning permit to construct a dwelling.”
The amendment would affect properties along Main Street, Warner Street, Lawerence Court and Smith Street, following council receiving concerns from affected landowners regarding the overlay.
Cr Paul Barker said the amendment would help improve the overall efficiency of council’s planning scheme.
“Anytime you’ve got overly restrictive planning hurdles to jump through, that creates an extra cost and imposition to developments,” he said.
“This goes a little way to removing the planning issues surrounding the area, and…I look forward to more of these planning restriction removals coming to council.”
Council will place the amendment on public exhibition for a month following authorisation by the Minister for Planning, with a report on the community’s feedback presented at a future council meeting.
