AMENDMENT C149 - DOWLING FOREST PRECINCT MASTER PLAN - PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION

A Planning Scheme Amendment to the Ballarat Planning Scheme has been prepared - Amendment C149 Implementation of the Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan.

The amendment will implement the planning scheme changes recommended by the ‘Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan, February 2011’ (the ‘Master Plan’) and the ‘Implementation of the Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan, April 2011’ (the ‘Implementation Report’) into the Ballarat Planning Scheme. The Master Plan and the Implementation Report provide a long term framework to guide the future use, development and subdivision of land in the area adjoining the Dowling Forest Racecourse.

What happens now?

In order for the Plans recommendations to be converted to land use and development controls, the Ballarat Planning Scheme now needs to be updated. A process known as a Planning Scheme Amendment will now take place to update the Planning Scheme.

This is a lengthy process whereby the State Government must assess the land use and development controls being put forward by Council.

An important step in the Planning Scheme Amendment process is the exhibition phase.The formal public exhibition period for Amendment C148 took place from Thursday 10 November 2011 to Friday 16th December 2011.

The public submissions made to Amendment C149 were presented to Council for consideration on 22 December 2011, with Council resolving to:

1. Consider the submissions received to Amendment C149 – Implementation of the Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan, pursuant to sections 22(1) and 22(2) of thePlanning and Environment Act 1987.
2. Request the Minister for Planning to appoint an Independent Panel pursuant to the provisions of part 8 of thePlanning and Environment Act 1987to consider all submissions received to Amendment C149 and also to consider all submissions received for Amendment C148 Ballarat Rural Land Use Strategy, through a joint Planning Panel process.
3. Refer all submissions received, including late submissions, to the Panel in accordance with section 23(1)(b) of thePlanning and Environment Act 1987.
4. Submit to the Panel its response to the submissions received as outlined in this report and seek modifications to the amendment through Council’s submission to the Panel as follows:
• Ensure Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority receive notice under the provisions of the Special Use Zone Schedule 13 (SUZ13); and
• Alter references to ‘Ballarat Racecourse’ to be consistently known as the ‘Dowling Forest Racecourse’ in the planning scheme amendment documentation.
5.  Engage the Panel in discussion regarding the merits of lowering the minimum lot size from 10ha to 4ha on land to the immediate northwest of the racecourse, whilst retaining this land within the Farming Zone and merits of extending the Farming Zone Schedule (4 Hectare minimum lot size) through to the corner of Gillies and Sharpes Roads, Miners Rest.
6. Notify all submitters of Council’s resolution to refer Amendment C149 to an independent Panel.

This independent Panel process is likely to take place in early-mid 2012, at which time Planning Panel’s Victoria will appoint the Panel to hear all submissions and contact each person who made a submission, advising them of the next steps in the process.

The following documents were on exhibition from Thursday 10 November 2011 to Friday 16th December 2011.

 Amendment C149 - exhibition documents

• Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan (12,835KB)
• Implementation of the Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan (11,751KB)
• Amendment C149 - Explanatory Report (55KB)
• Amendment C149 - List of changes (23KB)
• Amendment C149 - Instruction sheet (21KB)
• Amendment C149 - Amendment list (23KB)
• MSS - 21.04 (1,694KB)
• MSS - 21.10 (44KB)
• Farming Zone (103KB)
• Special Use Zone Schedule 13 (122KB)
• Special Use Zone 13 Map (199KB)

Other information related to Amendment C149:

•  Key information sheet (300KB)

If you have any questions or require any further information please contact the Strategic Planning Unit on (03) 5320 5536 or strategicplanning@ballarat.vic.gov.au.