Distinctly slow: Wait for Statement of Planning Policy goes on

SATURDAY last week marked the one-year anniversary of the Surf Coast being declared a Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL), but the community is yet to see what kind of planning controls the state government is considering for the area.
The state government’s DAL program aims to protect the significant economic, environmental, cultural and community values found in the peri–urban areas surrounding Geelong and other regional cities.
The Surf Coast DAL focuses on Torquay and Jan Juc and extends along the coastline from the eastern edge of the Great Otway National Park to Breamlea Flora and Fauna Reserve, but also stretches as far as Bellbrae, Freshwater Creek, and into Mount Duneed.
As part of the process, the state government will create a Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) with a 50-year vision and land use strategies to better protect the unique features of the Surf Coast DAL – declared on September 19, 2019 – for existing and future generations
It will also designate a long term protected settlement boundary for Torquay-Jan Juc.
Phase two of public engagement closed on November 15, 2019, and according to the original timeline, consultation of the draft SPP was supposed to begin early this year, with a final SPP to be released mid-to-late this year.
In April, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning stated phase 3 of the public engagement was “expected to occur in the coming months”. “It will include a written public submissions process. We are currently looking at the best way to conduct this engagement given current social distancing requirements.”
At least two important projects at the Surf Coast Shire council have stalled until the final SPP is made for the DAL – the Spring Creek Precinct Structure Plan, which sets out some development in the Spring Creek valley; and the Torquay Jan Juc Social Infrastructure Study.
In response to questions from this newspaper, South Barwon Labor MP Darren Cheeseman – who campaigned on fighting over-development in Torquay during the 2018 state election, including no development in the Spring Creek valley – said last week the draft SPP was “in the final stages of drafting as we speak”.
“The draft Statement of Planning Policy will be released when it is ready and we can undertake consultation on it. We expect to have more information on the timeline within the next month.
“We can confirm that the Governor-In-Council has approved a 12-month extension to the Distinctive Area and Landscape process as per the legislation to allow as much time as possible to undertake proper consultation.
“The government and I committed during the election to undertake genuine consultation with the community, and that will happen.”
Questions to Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne were not answered by the time this newspaper went to press.