Moorabool Planning Scheme Review

Project Overview

What is the project about?

Council has identified that the Moorabool Planning Scheme is in need of a comprehensive review. The last substantial review was undertaken in 2006, while a further administrative review was undertaken in 2014.

Council is seeking your feedback on this important strategic project. Feedback must be provided by

11 August 2020.

This full review of the Moorabool Planning Scheme is being undertaken to meet Council’s legislative requirements, and also to:

  • Bring the planning scheme in line with State government direction on the form and content of planning schemes;
  • Align the planning scheme with other Moorabool Shire strategic projects;
  • Reflect the major and emerging strategic issues facing Moorabool Shire; and
  • Remove errors and out of date parts of the planning scheme.

The goal is an amended Moorabool Planning Scheme that meets the following three drivers.

Timelines

Planning scheme reviews are required to be undertaken every four years. The last comprehensive review of Moorabool Planning Scheme was more than four years ago, so a review is considered timely.

Identifying Gaps

The planning scheme review process allows gaps to be identified, assisting in mapping out a future strategic work program for the municipality.

The Need to Modernise

The State government is currently undertaking broad reform of the planning system in Victoria. As part of these reforms, planning schemes will be reformatted to be more streamlined, user-friendly and offer greater certainty and assistance in decision-making.

Community Consultation Brochure

A Community Consultation Brochure has been prepared, to provide an overview of the planning scheme review project. The brochure discusses each of the emerging themes and includes questions to guide your feedback.

Community Engagement and Feedback

The literature review revealed a number of themes which will guide the next phase of the project; the Strategic Directions Report.

The community’s views and feedback was sought on the identified themes to help shape the Strategic Directions Report.  

A Community Consultation Brochure has been prepared, to provide an overview of the planning scheme review project.  The brochure discusses each of the emerging themes and includes questions to guide your feedback.  

An online presentation of the planning scheme review project can be viewed here.

The closing date for feedback was Tuesday 11 August 2020.

Please be assured that throughout the current COVID-19 restrictions, Council is committed to ensuring that the community has access to documentation and Council staff.  All documents are available via this webpage, or they can be provided via email or in hard copy via post. should you have any question or need any further information, Council staff can be contacted via email at info@moorabool.vic.gov.au or via phone on 5366 7100.

Following this consultation phase, a draft Strategic Directions Report will be prepared for Council’s consideration.  The draft Strategic Directions Report will provide a clear road map/action plan for future planning scheme amendments.  The ‘strategic directions’ component will explore the required amendments to the planning scheme, how planning priorities and principles will be balanced and how to make effective and timely decisions by utilising the most appropriate and effective implementation tools.  The ‘action plan’ component will provide direction to Council on how to approach the required planning scheme amendments in tranches and the package of amendments that should be contained in each tranche.

  • Project inception
  • Stakeholder engagement

    - with Council service units, agencies and government departments

  • Literature Review Report

    Preparation of report and engagement findings

  • Presentation of engagement findings to Council
  • Community consultation
  • Draft Strategic Directions Report

    - incorporating a summary of community consultation

  • Council Consideration of Draft Strategic Directions Report
  • Final Strategic Directions Report
  • Planning scheme amendment preparation

Where are we up to now?

Stage 1 of the project has been completed and a Literature Review Report has been prepared.  Stage 1 involved a thorough review of the planning scheme, supported by engagement with Council officers, agencies and government departments.

Stakeholder Engagement

A series of workshops were conducted with stakeholders who interact with the Moorabool Planning Scheme on a regular basis. These workshops helped to identify what is working well in the planning scheme and what requires review and/or amendment as part of this project.

Literature Review

A comprehensive review of the Moorabool Planning Scheme was undertaken simultaneously with the stakeholder engagement.  This ‘literature review’, was not only a top to bottom review of the Moorabool Planning Scheme, but also included a review of the following:

  • The Moorabool Council Plan
  • Other Council Policies
  • State and Regional Strategies and Policies
  • Recent Amendments to the Moorabool Planning Scheme
  • Previous Moorabool Planning Scheme Reviews
  • Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) Decisions

As the findings of Stage 1 were considered, certain themes emerged.  These themes are areas of the Moorabool Planning Scheme which should be protected, enhanced, removed, amended and/or require further strategic work. 

Each theme will be used to define the strategic directions for the next stages of the project.