I I I GEELONG REGIONAL COMMISSION I I I I Report to the Minister for Planning Hon. G. Hayes, M.P. I I on I The Exhibition of and Hearing of I Objections to the Proposed Geelong Regional Planning Scheme I I I I I I I 711 . 1 Geelong Regional Commission ___. 3099 I 11 7 Myers Street 452 Geelong V1ctona 3220 GEE:M P 0 Box 770 I Tel (052) 21 7377 I I I C 0 N F I D E N T I A L I I I I GEELONG REGIONAL COMMISSION I I I REPORT TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING HON. G. HAYES, M.P. I I on I THE EXHIBITION OF AND HEARING OF OBJECTIONS TO THE I PROPOSED GEELONG REGIONAL PLANNING SCHEME I I I I c;?711. 1658657 .3099 452 Report to the Minister for C)EE:M Planning, Han. G. Hayes, M.P. on the exhibition of I· and hearing of objections I to the proposed Geelong May 1~78 Regional Planning I L ~ I·· I I I TABLE OF CONTENTS I Foreword I REPORT 1~ . Preparation and Exhibition of the Proposed Scheme 1. I 2. Overview of Objections to the Geelong Regional 6 . I . Planning Scheme 3. Objections Received from Municipalities, State 12. I Government Agencies and Semi-government Organisations 4. Objections to the 11 Tenement Clause 11 and Subdivision 16. I Minima in Rural Zones 5.. Objections to the Rural (Streamside Foreshore and 26. I Floodland) Zone I 6. Objections to Road Reserves and Road Location Provisions 30. I 7. Other Major Groups of Objections 35. 8. Amendments to Geelong Regional Interim Development 41. I Order I ·MAPS. I Map of Geelong Regional Planning Authority Area. fo 11 owing 44. I Map of Existing Schemes· and Orders - July 1969 following 44. I I I ------·-- -, I· I I I TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) I APPENDICES A. List of Gov~rnment Departments and Public Authoriti~s 45. I notified of Preparation of the Draft Geelong Regional Planning Scheme and Letter sent to them. ,I B. ·Rural Area Planning Policy adopted by the Geelong 48. Regional Planning Authority and incorporated in the Draft Geelong Regional Planning Scheme. I C. List of Government Departments and Public Authorities 55. notified nf the exhibition of the Draft Geelong I Regional Planning Scheme. D. • · Notice of Objection Hearings 56. I . E. Schedule of Hearing Committee Sitting Dates 57 . F. Final Notice to ~bjectors 58. I G. Statutory Authorities and Municipalities objecting 59 .. to the Exhibited Scheme. I H. Terms of Reference of Community Advisory Committee 60. on Rural Affairs. I. General Statement of Existing Tenement Provisions 61. I in the proposed Geelong Regional Planning Scheme. J. Report on Rural (Streamside Foreshore and Floodland) 72. I Zone I K. Results of Floodland Study 74. L. Report on Outer Freeway Corridor 88. I M. Report on Bellarine By-Pass Roads 92. I I I I I FOREWORD I This report summarises and documents the exhibition and objection process for the proposed Geelong Regional Planning Scheme. This process included I the exhibition of the proposed Scheme, the receipt and hearing of objections, investigations undertaken as a result of objections and the determinations of the Geelong Regional Planning Authority {now the Geelong I Regional Commission) in respect of each objection. The report covers the major features of the Scheme which caused public I .concern and comment, and which generated significant numbers of objections, and sets out policy decisions made by the Authority to guide determinations of such objections. Proposed policies affecting development in rural I areas of the Region were a major reason for many objections to the Scheme, and received considerable attention from the Authority. I Municipal and Government Authority objections are separately considered in the report, which briefly summarises their main elements. I The report also discusses several significant amendments to the Geelong Regional Interim Development Order which have arisen in large measure from objections to the proposed Planning Scheme and the Authority's determinations I on these objections. I In general, the report is intended to assist the Minister for Planning and the Town and Country Planning Board in considering the manner in which the Geelong Regional Planning Authority, and its legal successor, the II Geelong Regional Commission, have fulfilled their statutory obligations under the Town and Country Planning Act 1961, in respect of the exhibition I and adoption of a planning scheme for the Geelong Region. I I COLIN K. ATKINS I May 1978. CHAIRMAN I I I 1. I 1. PREPARATION AND EXHIBITION OF THE PROPOSED GEELONG REGIONAL PLANNING SCHEME I 1.1 Introduction The preparation and exhibition of the proposed Geelong Reqional I Planning Scheme has been a lengthy process which had its genesis in the creation of the Geelong Regional Planning Authority (G.R.P.A.) in I July 1969. The G.R.P.A. was set up by agreement of the nine municipalities of the Region, in consultation with the Town and Country Planning Board, and I the then Minister for Local Government, the Han. R. J. Hamer, as a regional planning authority under the provisions of Clause 12 of the · · Town and Country Planning Act, 1961. I It became the Authority's task to prepare a regional planning scheme, and over the intervening period between commencing to prepare a scheme and the approval of that scheme by the Governor in Council, to administer I planning and development control in the Region throuqh Interim Develop­ ment Orders. I This chapter sets out the steps taken by the Authority in preparing and exhibiting a proposed regional planning scheme, and also describes the administration of planning during the life of the Authority and at I present. I 1.2 Preparation of the Draft Geelong Regional Planning Scheme On the 31st July, 1969 the Geelong Regional Planning Authority, being a Responsible Authority under the·Town and Country Planning Act 1961, I resolved to prepare a planning scheme for the following area, namely the whole of the municipal districts of the Cities of Geelong, Geelong West and Newtown, the Borough of Queenscliffe, and the Shires of Bannockburn, Bellarine, Barrabool, Corio and South Barwon in accordance I with the Town and Country Planning Act 1961, and determined that the date of commencement of the preparation of such scheme be the 31st I July, 1969 (Map 1. ). At the same time there were eight planning schem~or interim develop­ ment orders in operation in the Region. These were: The Geelong I Planning Scheme (1959); the Lara Planning Scheme (1961); the Barrabool Planning Scheme (1966); the Ocean Road Planning Scheme (1955); the South Barwon Interim Development Order (1964); the Bellarine Interim Development Order (1960); the Bannockburn Interim I Development Order (1972); the Queenscliffe Interim Development Order (1971). The Connewarre Draft Planning Scheme (1961) was also in I preparation. (See Map 2) Although the Geelong Planning Scheme had initially extended .across eight of the Region's nine municipalities (all except Queenscliffe), it I had effectively been adminsitered as if it were eight separate municipal schemes. Separate amendments had been made, frequently resulting in I I I 2. I differerit planning controls applying in adjoining municipalities for the same land use.· · The Geelong Regional Planning Authority proceeded to undertake a range I of regional land use and resource studies to determine the extent to which the zoning and otherpmvisions of· the existing planning schemes ,I and interim development orders required amendment or extension of the areas covered, and to rectify anomalies between the existing schemes. A wide range of public authorities, including municipal Councils, semi­ I government bodies and government departments, were notified that the Authority had resolved to prepare a ·scheme, and were given the opport­ unity to request that specific provisions affecting their areas of I responsibility be included (Appendix A). Consultants were engaged to consolidate the existing schemes and orders, review their provisions and introduce such new elements as were consid­ I ered. desirable, to produce a draft Regional Planning Scheme. Of particular significance in determining the major provisios of the I draft scheme was the Victorian Government Statement of Planning Policy No. 7, Geelong, 1973, which set out the State•s official policy with respect to future deve 1opment fn the Region. · I The policy called for accelerated development of the Region; a high standard of protection of coastal and recreation areas, and in particular, required the Regional Planning Authority to 11 give special attention to I 11 the following:- · I 11 3.1 The evaluation of the social, economic and natural resources capable of sustaining substantial urban growth in the region. 3.2 The assessment of the suitability and capacity of land for I development paying due regard to - (a) the value of areas for nature conservation, recreation, I water catchment, farming and mineral extraction; I (b) an efficient urban servicing structure; and (c) social service requirements of the community. 3.3 The formulation of special policies designed to encourage growth I and including - (a) measures designed to ensure that existing community services I are not detrimentally affected by accelerated growth; (b) measures aimed at improving the attractiveness of Geelong I as a centre for growth; (c) measures aimed at achieving high standards in the urban and rural environment and avoiding any detriment to the ecology I of the region; I I ------------------ I 3. I (d) proposals for improved communications particularly tele­ communications, road, rail and air links to other centres I and development of port facilities; and (e) determination of the extent and level of services including the full .range of social services necessary for stimulating urban growth in the region and particularly the level to which I State instrumentalities and semi-government authorities should be committed.