Town boundary changes proposed in Bass Coast

BASS Coast, its growing pains and its unique environment are the subjects of a massive new planning initiative by the State Government designed to establish a 50-year vision for the strategically important region.

How will our towns be allowed to grow in the future?

How will farmland be protected?

What controls will be placed on building activity and vegetation removal to enhance neighbourhood character?

How will our coastal environments be saved and restored for future generations?

With that in mind, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), on behalf of the State Government, has produced a draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) which will guide the future of land use and development in Bass Coast well into this century.

It has been developed by DELWP in collaboration with the Bass Coast Shire Council, the Traditional Owners the Bunurong, and other government agencies.

But now there’s the opportunity for the community, and especially those directly impacted by the proposed policy settings, to have their say.

And it will be no mean feat for the general public to get their head around hundreds and hundreds of pages of information and dozens of maps presently available on the Engage Vic website.

But don’t delay. Submissions must be received by 5pm on Friday, April 29, 2022.

A ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ summary isn’t a bad place to start.

Here’s what is says about proposed changes to the settlement boundaries around the towns in Bass Coast. These boundaries set the limits of urban growth and once formalised, will need agreement by both Houses of State Parliament if alterations are wanted in the future.

So, it’s a case of “speak now or forever hold your peace”.

Settlement boundary changes

What settlement boundaries are proposed in the draft Bass Coast SPP?

Protected settlement boundaries are proposed for all settlements in the Bass Coast declared area. The proposed settlement boundaries are generally consistent with the existing boundaries of settlements identified in Clause 11 – Settlement (11.01-1L-01 – 11.01-1L-22) of the Bass Coast Planning Scheme.

Changes are proposed for following settlements:

• Cowes and Silverleaves: It is proposed that an area of Farming Zone land on the eastern edge of the settlement is removed from the existing settlement boundary. This area is in a Farming Zone and a portion of it includes the Cowes Golf Club. The area has significant environmental values being adjacent to Rhyll Inlet, an area of international ecological significance and is susceptible to flooding and sea level rise. It was included within the existing settlement boundary on the premise of an integrated residential and golf course development that has not progressed.
• Grantville: It is proposed that an area of Farming Zone land on the southern edge of the settlement are removed from the existing settlement boundary. The area is in a Farming Zone and has significant landscape and environmental values. It is also susceptible to flooding and sea level rise.
• Newhaven: It is proposed that an area of Farming Zone land on the western edge of the settlement is removed from the existing settlement boundary. The area is in a Farming Zone and has significant landscape and environmental values (it abuts the Western Port Ramsar Site). It is also subject to environmental risks (including flooding and bushfire).
• San Remo: It is proposed that the existing settlement boundary be expanded to include an area of Farming Zone land within the western part of the San Remo Growth Area (boundary aligned with 425 Phillip Island Road) to provide for residential and community development. Any development of this area will need to be sensitively designed to protect the landscape values. The rest of the growth area is proposed to remain outside of the settlement boundary to protect the state significant landscape area, including the remoteness of the George Bass Coastal Walk and the approach to Phillip Island, which will help protect the green break between settlements.
• Sunset Strip: It is proposed that the area on the western edge of the settlement that is zoned Low Density Residential Zone is included within the settlement boundary to reflect the existing urban use of this land. This is not considered to impact on the significant attributes surrounding Sunset Strip.
• Wonthaggi: In addition, it is proposed that a protected settlement boundary will be included in the SPP for Wonthaggi, including the Wonthaggi North-East Growth Area, in the future. The identification of this boundary will be informed by strategic planning work led by the Bass Coast Shire Council in collaboration with the Bunurong, DELWP and other relevant agencies and authorities with input from local communities. The SPP would be updated once this strategic planning work has been completed. To understand how the proposed protected settlement boundaries may affect your property, or a property of interest, visit our interactive mapping tool, which visually displays the existing and proposed settlement boundaries: Bass Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape program (mapshare.vic.gov.au)

Cape Paterson North must wait

How does the draft Bass Coast SPP affect Bass Coast Amendment C136 – Cape Paterson North?

Amendment C136 seeks to rezone 53 hectares of land within the existing settlement boundary of Cape Paterson from the Farming Zone to the General Residential Zone 1 and apply a Development Plan Overlay to facilitate its integrated development of the entirety of the greenfield land in Cape Paterson North.

The amendment is being led by Bass Coast Shire Council and is a separate process to the preparation of the draft Bass Coast SPP. In authorising Council to prepare Amendment C136, the Minister for Planning requested that Council has regard to the Bass Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape project and, in particular, any impacts on settlement planning for Cape Paterson and the environmental and landscape significance of the land subject to the amendment.

Granting authorisation of the amendment does not indicate whether the amendment will be approved, it allows it to proceed to public exhibition. The amendment was exhibited between 16 January and 27 February 2020, and Council received over 400 submissions.

The current amendment status is deferred, and the submissions made to the amendment will be considered by Council following the finalisation of the Bass Coast SPP.

The draft SPP proposes a protected settlement boundary for Cape Paterson that aligns with Cape Paterson’s existing settlement boundary at Clause 11.01-1L-12 in the Bass Coast Planning Scheme, which includes the land affected by the proposed Amendment C136.

The draft SPP proposes landscape planning controls for the site (SLO4). Any future development would need to consider the landscape features on site and be sensitive to the setting.

To see all of the reports and to make a submission go to the Engage Vic website: https://engage.vic.gov.au/project/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/page/bass-coast