Development Plan filed for aquatic centre

THE Surf Coast Shire has compiled the overall plan to facilitate the Surf Coast Aquatic Health Centre in Torquay North.

Submissions for the centre’s Development Plan closed last week, and the shire will consider the matter at a council meeting next month.

Prepared by planning firm Urbis at the shire’s instruction, the Development Plan is needed to comply with the shire’s own planning scheme.

According to Urbis, the Development Plan “establishes an overarching masterplan for the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre… under which the more detailed site planning and potential subdivision of the land can take place”.

The Development Plan includes allowance for a future connection between the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre and the existing Wurdi Baierr Stadium to the north-east.

As well as the existing roads, vehicle access will be provided by a new road from the Surf Coast Highway, which would turn in only from the north and turn out only to the south.

This new road has the potential to connect to Wadawurrung Way, which runs off Merrijig Drive to the north.

The centre (and its associated car parking) would occupy the entire 21,382sqm of the vacant land north of the Surf Coast Civic and Community Centre.

The Development Plan also contains an archaeological field survey, a construction management plan, a flora and fauna assessment, and transport advice.

There are no architectural drawings in the Development Plan, nor does it contain the concept designs released by the shire in late October 2022 that show the two-storey centre would be aligned east-west.

The Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre is presently scoped to include a 25-metre outdoor pool, two warm water indoor pools, a gym and multi-purpose program rooms, allied health and office suites, and meeting rooms for community organisations.

The project has more than $42 million in local, state and federal funds already attached to it and needs another $4.5 million to be fully realised at its present scope.

The shire’s online planning portal has the Development Plan slated to be discussed at a special council meeting on March 14.