Spring Creek PSP accepted

THE ultimate vision for housing in Spring Creek has moved one step closer, with the Surf Coast Shire accepting the final Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) for the land one kilometre west of Duffields Road.

Tuesday’s meeting to adopt the amendment (which implements the PSP) and send it to the Planning Minister for final approval comes years after the start of the planning process for the valley and strong community opposition in response.

This amendment was sent to an independent planning panel in late 2016, and the shire chose to accept some panel recommendations, reject others and commit to work on the rest.

The PSP’s final revisions successfully moved by Cr David Bell on Tuesday include retaining the three categories of residential lot sizes and adding a new category for lots with a minimum size of 400 square metres directly abutting the neighbourhood and local activity centres only.

The larger lots of 1,500-2,000 square metres abutting Grossmans Road will also be kept.

The 2,064 houses now in the precinct is still a significant increase on the 1,781 first proposed by the shire, but less than the 2,120 in the recommendation to councillors at Tuesday’s meeting.

The shire is also rejecting the panel’s recommendation to make residential design codes discretionary rather than mandatory, with minimum setbacks and rules on maximum site coverage. It will retain (again against the panel’s wishes) the amount of open space in the precinct, including the 75-metre buffer along Spring Creek itself.

“I hope that all parties can accept the amendment as proposed and that we can move on to our next project – the Hinterland Futures project and perhaps the Strengthening Town Boundaries project, to see where we end up,” Cr Bell said.

If fully approved, construction in Spring Creek is not expected to start until at least late next year.