Have you had your say about the changes to the Inverleigh Planning Scheme? (Amendment C87)
Submissions are due by Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Download a one-page combined summary with submission form HERE:
-
You are encouraged to have your say about the future of Inverleigh
-
You are encouraged to make a submission whether in support or with objections to Amendment C87
-
Below are examples of submissions already made by individuals who have agreed to share them
-
Hardcopies of these submissions are also available at the General Store (for viewing only)
-
Submission forms are available at the General Store
-
More information is available on the Golden Plains Shire Council and Victorian Government websites
You can hand deliver submissions or:
​
Email submissions to enquiries@gplains.vic.gov.au
including the words "Submission to Amendment C87" in the title.
​
Post submissions to Golden Plains Shire
"Attn Strategic Planning" PO Box 111, Bannockburn, Victoria, 3331
Examples of submissions
Below is a summary of each with a link to the full document for further information
(Click on the underlined heading to take you to the linked document)
​
1 - Bush Fire Risk
Amendment C87 to the Golden Plains Planning Scheme fails to adequately assess the bush fire risk imposed by Inverleigh Nature Conservation Reserve (The Common). The bush fire risk is underestimated, the proposed bush fire risk mitigation strategy is unsound, and Common Road will serve as only access/egress for residents from Common Road, Mannagum Estate and potential Growth Area 3, as alternatives will be inaccessible due to smoke and ember attack.
​
2 - Strategic Bush Fire Risk Assessment
Amendment C87 to the Golden Plains Planning Scheme should be withdrawn because it builds on outdated information and planning practices. The Strategic Bushfire Risk Assessment underpinning the Amendment and its associated Structure Plan was conducted using an outdated strategy and weather data that are more than a decade old. Moreover, the current version of Planning Practice Notice 64 advises against planning developments in high bush fire risk areas and in areas with one access/egress, eliminating Growth Area 3 as an option for development.
​
3 - Educational Facilities Impact
The number of children living in Inverleigh, and therefore the number of children wishing to attend Inverleigh Primary School, will increase by a minimum of 30% but easily up to 60% over the duration of the Structure Plan, yet there are no definitive commitments made to accommodate this growth.
​
I confirm I support Strategy 1.1 of Amendment C87 to the Golden Plains Planning Scheme. I think it is imperative the existing township boundary of Inverleigh is maintained to retain and preserve our small country town lifestyle and our small, but highly valued, community, as well as protect the natural landscape and environment features unique to our town, as we know it.
​
5 - Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve impact
Amendment C87 to the Golden Plains Planning Scheme has the potential for detrimental impacts on the 1050-hectare Reserve known as the Inverleigh Nature Conservation Reserve and locally as The Common. These include the effects on registered critically endangered flora, sustainability of biodiversity and the safety and health of the Common’s wildlife, and omission of rezoning the northern section of The Common from farming zone. The submission expands on these issues and provides some mitigations strategies to be considered with any new development.
​
6 – Sustainability and Health of small-scale intensive agricultural businesses
Inverleigh has a diverse group of intensive small scale agricultural businesses which, given a situation where there is a lack of diversity in block sizes, are at an increased risk of a decrease in their sustainability and health. Diversity in block sizes is essential to allowing people the country lifestyle choice (something that was repeatedly highlighted in the Golden Plains Shire Inverleigh Structure Plan 2017 survey results). It is imperative that we protect, maintain and allow into the future, Golden Plains Shire’s own position of supporting and promoting productive and sustainable, diverse and intensive small scale agricultural and rural enterprises. (See 3.9 Golden Plains Rural Land Use Strategy). A blanket 0.4 hectare block size results in no future businesses of these types which is contrary to both documents mentioned above.
​
7 - Unsewered lots
I think it is imperative, from an environmental and conservation perspective, due to the potential leeching of septic run-off to the Leigh River (and through to the Barwon River) from the natural slope on Common Road toward the Leigh River, with unsewered blocks posing a risk of contamination of our local natural waterways, that an investigation on the cumulative output from the septic systems and their likely impact on the river should be done as part of the assessment and viability for this development to proceed. Data collection from Site CO_LEI017 should be resumed ASAP to ensure data-driven insight in environmental changes and stormwater quality monitoring undertaken.
​
8 – Sustainable development in Inverleigh
The current condition of the waterways running through and around Inverleigh are already under threat with relevant reports identifying the Leigh and Barwon rivers that large percentages are at poor or very poor condition, this report goes on to list the Key threats to the waterways as “Altered flow rates, eroded banks, damaged riparian vegetation and reduced water quality through sedimentation and effluent contamination”. Future development will further impact these “High Value and Priority Waterways”. If this alarms you, please read my overview on sustainable growth in Inverleigh and relevant facts that support my view.
​
I am opposed to elements of Amendment C87 to the Golden Plains Planning Scheme, as it does not provide any form of compromise between “Inverleigh as we know it” and “Inverleigh as is proposed” in the Structure Plan, in relation to lot sizes. I believe the Structure Plan contradicts itself and is misleading when suggesting there will be lot sizes larger than 0.4ha in the proposed LDRZ areas.
​
10 - Loss of faith in Golden Plains Shire and Amendment C87 best interests
The Golden Plains Shire has not performed to a standard that instils any faith in its capacity or will to represent the Inverleigh community into the future which undermines the premise of Amendment C87 and the protections for the community. Supporting information includes 1) the quality of the Inverleigh Structure Plan, 2) the Golden Plains Shire’s track record in Inverleigh of poor planning and stewardship, 3) concerns for the staging of development to meet the stated moderate growth goal of 27 homes per year, 4) Local Government Inspectorate Report March 2019, 5) lack of transparency of agency/developer contributions, 6) failure to rezone as part of Amendment C87, the Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve, 7) the inadequacy of community notification of the alignment of the proposed new clause for Inverleigh Local Planning Policy Framework 8) poor performance in the 2019 State-wide local government survey and 9) protection of Aboriginal cultural sites.
​
Council will make available for inspection a copy of any submission made – you can ask the Council to see any submission regarding this amendment.