Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme Review Report 2018

Background

The Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme is a high level statutory document that guides land use and development within the Greater Shepparton municipality. Planning schemes in Victoria must be reviewed every four years to ensure they are current and reflect all key-issues facing the municipality. The findings made within the review are then reported to the Minister for Planning in accordance section 12B (5) of the Planning & Environment Act 1987 upon adoption by Council.

Consultation

Council officers wrote to key stakeholders in the community, all relevant agencies and frequent users of the scheme in December 2017, inviting their contribution to the 2018 Planning Scheme Review.

Purpose

The 2018 Review has found that the current Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme (GSPS) is now outdated and urgently needs rewriting. It makes several recommendations regarding restructure of the GSPS to comply with Amendment VC148 and the latest Ministerial Direction on the Form and Content of Planning Schemes, April 2017.

Broadly, the issues reviewed in the review relate to:

• An overview of the performance of the GSPS since the last review in 2014;
• An understanding of the state, regional and local policy changes that have occurred since the last review;
• An ‘audit’ of the existing strategic and statutory provisions in the GSPS (based on the GSPS which was in operation on 1 January 2018);
• A review of relevant Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decisions and Independent Planning Panel reports; and
• A program for implementing future action.

Council Meeting

The Planning Scheme review was adopted by Council at the 18 September OCM where Council resolved to:

1. adopt the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme Review 2018 pursuant to section 12B (1) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987;
2. submit the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme Review 2018 to the Minister for Planning as required by section 12B (5) of the Planning & Environment Act 1987; and
3. prepare and exhibit a planning scheme amendment to implement the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme Review 2018.

Next Steps

The Review will be implemented through an amendment to the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme in the near future. Further consultation will be undertaken as part of the implementation of the Planning Scheme Review in through the planning scheme amendment process, in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987.