AMENDMENT C128 - WESTERN HIGHWAY DUPLICATION BETWEEN BALLARAT AND STAWELL

Amendment C128 involves the Western Highway duplication between Ballarat and Stawell and is of national, state and regional significance. The project encompasses four municipalities; City of Ballarat, Pyrenees

Shire Council, Ararat Rural City Council and Northern Grampians Shire Council, and consequently will ultimately impact on four Planning Schemes.

Council has previously resolved that VicRoads become the Planning Authority for this project. As the next key part of the project (Stage 2), an amendment to the Ballarat Planning Scheme is required to facilitate the acquisition of land for the works and the construction of the road. The amendment will include the application of a Public Acquisition Overlay along the existing corridor in order to purchase required land.

The amendment also includes minor changes to the existing Environmental Significance and Erosion Management Overlays in the Planning Scheme as well as exemptions from the native vegetation removal provisions of the Scheme in order to facilitate the project.