Next council to consider Torquay’s sporting spaces

THE future sporting needs of Torquay and Jan Juc will have to be decided by the next group of councillors, after the existing council confirmed it had not taken a second look at a study prepared more than 12 months ago.
The council meeting agenda in August 2019 included a report on stage one of the Torquay Jan Juc Social Infrastructure Study.
The study identified the key social infrastructure requirements, including recreation, community buildings and open space, for the Torquay and Jan Juc area for the next 15 years.
It revealed a new sports precinct at least as big as the Spring Creek Recreation Reserve and potentially nearly twice that size would need to be built in Torquay and Jan Juc by 2026 to keep up with population growth.
However, acting shire chief executive officer Anne Howard withdrew the agenda item at the August 2019 meeting before it could be considered by councillors.
At the time, shire general manager of culture and community Chris Pike said the study was withdrawn “to allow extra time for related studies to be reviewed”.
“These studies may impact on the population assumptions that underpin the timing of future facilities.”
Earlier this week, Mr Pike said the most significant of the studies he was referring to in August 2019 was the Surf Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) project being undertaken by the state government.
“The DAL is expected to establish a Statement of Planning Policy, which will impact on town boundaries, development patterns and consequently existing population growth assumptions.
“Once the outcome of this process is known, we will be in a better position to incorporate the population assumptions into our models to inform the Torquay Jan Juc Social Infrastructure Study. This can then be considered in the next term of Council.”
He said in the meantime, the council had been focused on progressing its planning for major facilities, such as the Surf Coast Cultural Facility, the upgrade to Grant Pavilion and the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre.