Changes to the Planning Scheme (August 2016)
A top priority for AIDA is to check carefully any significant changes to the Surf Coast Planning Scheme. It sounds like a rather boring pastime but it is essential that the council’s Amendment C110 captures the recently agreed changes to the Aireys Inlet to Eastern View Structure Plan and brings them into the enforceable framework of the Planning Scheme. The shire planners made draft modifications to planning policies and provisions that affect the scheme and its design and neighbourhood character overlays. They then made them available for consultation.
Although AIDA agreed that most of the changes were contained in the amendment, we submitted fifteen points of concern that were discussed further with the shire’s planners. Some points were changed easily with the insertion or deletion of a certain word or phrase.
Many points originated in the Neighbourhood Character Study of 2004 and are seen as essential guides to retaining the much-loved qualities of our part of the world. An example is the deletion in the draft of ‘so it appears to be nestled in the trees’ referring to dwellings. The phrase has been reinstated and now is in the Statement of Neighbourhood Character. In other cases, a simple clarification was made or an item was removed, as it did not originate from structure plan recommendations.
Other points addressed include a statement about the ongoing management of parking in commercial car parks and another about road surfaces.
AIDA is fortunate to have a long-serving member, Ian Godfrey, who was involved in the framing of the original Neighbourhood Character Overlay, and who understands the significance of retaining key words and phrases. Although on holiday in Europe, he took the time to ensure that the draft remained true to the original intent. Also, AIDA is grateful to the shire planners for their diligence and assistance.
Gary Johnson
Changes to the Planning Scheme (August 2012)
Members may remember receiving a letter from the shire in May 2012 advising each property owner of the proposed Amendment C78 to the Planning Scheme. The locally relevant parts included changes to the Environmental Significance Overlay, Design and Development Overlay and Neighbourhood Character Overlay. Like so many amendments to the Planning Scheme, these proposals were complex and technical, and AIDA was concerned that some of the proposed changes appeared to give more discretion and soften our hard-won local Neighbourhood Character provisions, which had been designed to protect the informal, naturally vegetated character of residential areas. For more see Success with Amendment 78.
State Government Changes Parking Requirements (June 2012)
The State Government has made further planning changes – this time reducing car parking requirements. The Minister for Planning has announced the immediate revision of all car parking requirements for developments across Victoria. For a full report click here.
Ministerial Changes to Aireys Commercial Areas Guidelines (May 2012)
The shire’s Amendment C55 to the Surf Coast Planning Scheme was designed to introduce a Design and Development Overlay, providing urban design guidelines for future developments in Aireys Inlet’s commercial areas. For a full report see Amendment C55.