Canadian Valley Outline Development Plan

What is the Canadian Valley Outline Development Plan study?

An Outline Development Plan (ODP) has been prepared for the Canadian Valley incorporating Mt Clear, Mt Helen and Buninyong, commissioned by the City of Ballarat. A draft Plan was produced in 2004 and a final report produced in June 2005.

Providing an overall framework for the future planning and management of the Canadian Valley ODP area, the ODP creates a link between the strategic vision for the area and the detailed planning.

The final report is based on an extensive community consultation program and identification of the planning and development opportunities and constraints which characterise the area.

What are the objectives of the study area?

The objectives of the ODP are to:

• engage the local communities in order to achieve community participation
• achieve a framework that guides the sustainable growth of this part of Ballarat
• identify the future work required to fully implement the plan
• assist Councils decision making processes in the area

Key issues

The key issues raised by the community, council officers and consultants were:

• Impacts of current and future development
• Maintaining distinction between communities
• Connecting communities using trails and open space
• Strengthening township character of Buninyong
• Vegetation protection for environmental, economic, social and aesthetic reasons
• Future development of Ballarat Technology Park
• Provision and location of infrastructure, including community infrastructure such as recreation facilities
• Traffic management (particularly Geelong Rd)
• Protection / enhancement of waterways
• Open space provision

What options were considered in the Final Report?

In developing the final ODP, consideration was given to four discrete options for the future development of the area:

1. Do nothing provide for a continuation of the pattern of urbanisation of much of the remaining undeveloped residentially zoned areas
2. Full urbanisation of the area utilise all available suitable land for residential development
3. Halt future residential development restrict further residential development not already approved.
4. Limit residential development to selected areas and facilitate development in accordance with agreed principles and criteria

The recommended basis for the future of the Canadian Valley is to implement Option 4, which is for limited residential development in nominated areas, recognising the constraints imposed by native vegetation, the landscape character and the existing non-urban areas that form the unique qualities of the ODP area.

The Canadian Valley ODP is therefore predicated on limiting future residential development to land currently zoned for residential purposes, and infill development within existing developed residential areas.

Recommendations

The final report recommends the following planning scheme changes as described in detail in Chapter 8 of the report.

1. Adopt the final Canadian Valley Outline Development Plan June 2005 report
2. Amend the Municipal Strategic Statement to introduce the Canadian Valley Framework Plan map and associated principles, include the Canadian Valley Outline Development Plan report as an incorporated document in the scheme
3. Prepare local planning policies to support the Framework Plan
4. Introduce the Development Contributions Overlay, Development Plan Overlay, Neighbourhood Character Overlay, Environmental Significance Overlay and Significant Landscape Overlay on completion of studies to refine the details of the overlays
5. Revise the Vegetation Protection Overlay and Heritage Overlay
6. Introduce the Green Wedge Zone as a mechanism to retain non urban breaks between centres
7. Prepare Buninyong Urban Design Framework, Buninyong Economic & Tourism Strategy, Canadian Valley Walking & Cycling Master Plan

The report further describes other actions and initiatives that support the ODP as outlined in Section 8.

The report also makes specific recommendations on the rezoning requests that were received as submissions to the ODP. The report recommends that no changes to the zonings be made but that all submissions be reviewed at the panel hearing convened to hear submissions to Amendments implementing the Outline Development Plan.

What happens next?

The Council adopted the final report of the Canadian Valley Outline Development Plan at its meeting on 22 June 2005.

Amendment C95  has been prepared to introduce the changes as described above.