Shire adopts Urban Futures Strategy

THE Surf Coast Shire council has adopted its Urban Futures Strategy (UFS) but has decided against developing new land outside the existing urban centres.

The shire has also rejected any suggestion it has sped up the UFS process, arguing it has been working on the policy for nearly two years.

Councillors resolved to adopt the strategy at their April 29 meeting.

According to the officers’ report to councillors, the strategy considers forecast population and housing growth to a planning horizon of 2051 and responds to the State Planning Policy Framework requirement to plan for projected population growth over a 15-year period at a municipal basis.

The UFS also aligns with Victorian government and regional planning policy directions, including the government’s housing target of 8,000 extra dwellings in the shire by 2051 under Plan for Victoria.

“Research and forecasting undertaken by population and growth projection experts in the development of the strategy consider this target achievable,” the shire stated, “with capacity for the majority of future dwellings being shared across Torquay and Winchelsea using greenfield and in-fill development opportunities”.

Torquay and Winchelsea will be the two principal locations for long-term growth in the municipality, due to the constraints of the other coastal and rural towns.

About 65 per cent of forecast dwelling construction between 2021 and 2036 will occur within the Torquay town boundary.

After 2036, Winchelsea will take over, with about 59 per cent of forecast growth between 2036 and 2051 occurring within the town, assuming moderate growth.

The officers’ report notes submitters to the draft UFS raised several concerns, including that “it represents a lost opportunity to develop a well-planned strategy for the shire and in particular for Torquay”, and that locations other than Winchelsea or Torquay should be considered for additional growth.

Speaking at the April 29 meeting, Cr Libby Stapleton said the shire had been “careful to follow a structured process that doesn’t advantage or disadvantage any stakeholders and hopefully everyone close to it has recognised this”.

She said the analytical work on the UFS did not indicate the need for a new town, and the shire understood the importance of protecting farmland and rural landscapes, so the final UFS did not include any locations for significant growth outside of established towns as potential opportunities.

“It is also recognised that growth outside of established towns and settlements is associated with higher infrastructure costs.”

According to the timeline on the shire’s Your Say page, submissions would be reviewed and the draft strategy refined from late 2024 to early/mid 2025, with the final strategy to be adopted in early/mid 2025.

“We have not fast-tracked presentation of the UFS to Council,” the shire general manager placemaking and environment Chris Pike said in a statement to this masthead.

“We’ve been following the logical and pre-determined sequence of the UFS project – including draft, consultation, hearing of submissions, alterations, adoption.

“The project has been running since 2023. Expecting to take it to Council for adoption mid-2025 was a guide.”

For more information on the UFS, head to yoursay.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/UFS