Workshop considers Surf Coast distinctive area

THE 50-year map about development controls and settlement boundaries for Torquay and surrounds still needs a few kinks ironed out, if a public forum held in Torquay is any indication.

A capacity crowd of 100 attended the workshop for phase 2 of consultation for the Surf Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape policy on Friday, with several people turned away at the door of the Spring Creek Reserve clubrooms for lack of space.

The area, declared by the state government in September, 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.

It also covers the nearby hinterland area including Bellbrae and Freshwater Creek, and extends north of the Surf Coast Shire into the southern part of the growth area in Mt Duneed.

There was a sense of unfamiliarity in the room with the policy, with about half the attendees indicating (via a show of hands) that they did not take part in phase 1 of the consultation.

Some of the workshop’s participants were surprised that the area’s northern boundary stretched into the City of Greater Geelong (and apparently attended to learn more), with one person saying they only found out eight days earlier.

Phase 2 has put forward a vision statement, objectives and strategies for each of the policy domains to be included in the draft Statement of Planning Policy.

The seven policy domains are landscape, environment and biodiversity, risk and resilience, Aboriginal cultural heritage, post contact heritage, economy and infrastructure, and settlement.

An online survey is also available at engage.vic.gov.au/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/surf-coast. The deadline to complete it has been extended to midnight on November 15.

Phase 3 of consultation is scheduled to begin in early 2020.