Bellarine DAL Passed – Town Boundaries Protected

Andy Town Boundary (DAL) October 25, 2022October 25, 2022Bellarine DAL, Ocean Grove DAL, Ocean Grove Town Boundary, Town Boundaries Protected

Media Release – The Hon Daniel Andrews MP – Friday, 7 October 2022

PROTECTING THE ICONIC BELLARINE PENINSULA

The Andrews Labor Government is delivering on its promise to protect Victoria’s beautiful Bellarine Peninsula and its cherished environment from overdevelopment.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville today visited Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club to deliver the Labor Government’s Statement of Planning Policy for the Bellarine Peninsula’s ‘distinctive area and landscape’ (DAL) – setting out a 50-year vision for the region to guide development controls and boundaries.

The Bellarine Peninsula is one of Victoria’s most prized tourism and recreation destinations with its stunning beaches, rural landscapes and historic towns including Queenscliff and Portarlington.

The draft policy locks in protected settlement boundaries for all townships, to ensure the Bellarine’s agricultural areas, landscapes, environmental features, small villages and towns are protected from inappropriate development and direct future growth to strategic locations.

The Peninsula was declared a DAL in 2019, recognising that its beautiful coastal environment, unique green spaces, local producers, and lifestyle, were under pressure from urban overdevelopment.

The 2019 declaration triggered the need for a Statement of Planning Policy for the area, to ensure the landscapes, unique environmental and cultural values of the Bellarine are protected and enhanced for many decades to come.

The final draft policy was developed in collaboration with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, the Borough of Queenscliff, the City of Greater Geelong following extensive consultation with community and industry. It was also referred to an independent advisory committee in January 2022.

To view the final draft Statement of Planning Policy for Bellarine visit, engage.vic.gov.au/project/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/page/bellarine-peninsula.

Quote attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We promised to protect our iconic Bellarine Peninsula – and that’s exactly what we’ve done, boosting the local economy and making sure locals and tourists can enjoy this beautiful part of Victoria well into the future.”

Quote attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville

“These reforms give confidence to local residents and businesses that what they love about their community, and surrounding environment, is valued and protected for future generations.”

Unofficial: Bellarine Peninsula ‘Distinctive Areas and Landscapes’ in-person information session announcement

Andy Town Boundary (DAL) July 15, 2021July 15, 2021Bellarine DAL, Daft Bellarine Peninsula ‘Distinctive Areas and Landscapes’ in-person sessions, Draft Bellarine DAL, Ocean Grove DAL, Ocean Grove Town Boundary

In-person information sessions: draft Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy

I am emailing to confirm that we are planning to hold four in-person information sessions where you can learn more about the draft Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) and ask questions.

Attendees must register for a 30-minute session. This will be capped at 15 people to meet density limits. All attendees must follow the current Victorian Government’s public health advice regarding the use of masks, contact tracing and social distancing.

The in-person public information sessions will be held as follows

· 22^nd July 2021 Leopold Library, 31-39 Kensington Rd, Leopold - please register for a 30-min session at this event via  https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bellarine-peninsula-draft-spp-in-person-information-session-leopold-tickets-163004788711 to attend. 

· 27^th July 2021 Bellarine Anglican Parish, 45 – 55 Collins St, Drysdale - please register for a 30-min session at this event via  https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bellarine-peninsula-draft-spp-in-person-information-session-drysdale-tickets-163019043347 to attend. 

· 29^th July 2021 Bellarine Training and Community Hub, 1 John Dory Drive, Ocean Grove – please register for a 30-min session at this event via https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bellarine-peninsula-draft-spp-in-person-information-session-ocean-grove-tickets-163021468601 to attend. 

· 30^th July 2021 Queenscliff Uniting Church, Corner of Hesse and Stokes St, Queenscliff - please register for a 30-min session at this event via  https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bellarine-peninsula-draft-spp-in-person-information-session-queenscliff-tickets-163022192767 to attend. 

A range of times in the afternoon and evening are available. Please register as soon as possible to ensure you get your preferred time.

The in-person information sessions may help inform your written submission. Please note it is preferred that you do not lodge your submission at the information session. Please follow the guidance below on how to lodge your submission.

Have your say

You are invited to view the draft Bellarine Peninsula SPP and provide a written submission.

You can view the draft Bellarine Peninsula SPP, as well as supporting technical documents, by visiting the Bellarine Peninsula Engage Victoria project page.

You can choose to complete either a short or long form submission and attach further information as part of your submission. Submissions will be treated as public documents and will be published on the Victorian Government’s engagement website. Proforma submissions and petitions will only be counted as one submission, and any contact will be made through the first-named person.

Submissions must be received by 5.00pm on Friday 20 August 2021 and must be lodged through the Bellarine Peninsula Engage Victoria project page.

Further information

· Call 136 186 (open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)

· Email planning.implementation@delwp.vic.gov.au

· Visit Bellarine Peninsula Engage Victoria project page

· Read our Frequently Asked Questions that are available on the Engage Victoria project page

Kind regards,

Mia Davison 

Project Director, Distinctive Areas and Landscapes 

Planning | Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning 

8 Nicholson Street East Melbourne 3002 

Bellarine Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) draft Statement of Planning Policy

Phil Edwards Town Boundary (DAL) July 11, 2021July 15, 2021Bellarine DAL, Daft Bellarine Peninsula ‘Distinctive Areas and Landscapes’, Draft Bellarine DAL, Ocean Grove DAL, Ocean Grove Town Boundary

“Association applauds boundary strengthening”.

The Association has welcomed the recent and much awaited release by the Government of the Bellarine Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) draft Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) for community consultation. The draft SPP is proposing that permanent long term protected settlement boundaries be applied around Ocean Grove and all Bellarine Peninsula towns.

Our Chairperson, Mr Phil Edwards has praised the Government and our local Member Lisa Neville saying “it is very pleasing to see that the Government is now delivering on its election promises to protect the Bellarine Peninsula’s highly significant rural landscape and environmental qualities and it has clearly listened to the local community and responded to their wishes.”

“The draft SPP is exactly what the Association’s “Enough is Enough” campaign, which has gathered over 4,800 signatures, was hoping to achieve…that is, to restrict Ocean Grove boundaries to their current location and prevent further urban sprawl into the surrounding rural countryside. The proposed protected settlement boundary for Ocean Grove is shown in the map from the DELWP draft SPP. The Association is aware that developers and landowners to the north and west of the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, east of Banks Rd and north up to the Bellarine Highway have put forward proposals for further development despite the Geelong Council’s Settlement Strategy putting these areas clearly outside our town’s settlement boundary. The Association continues to strongly oppose the developers’ positions.”

The Association acknowledges and supports the proposals that the bulk of the town’s future population growth will be accommodated in the Kingston Estate area that is already zoned residential and where there is more than 10 years of housing green field development land still available for people who want to move to Ocean Grove. Other growth capacity is also available in the designated Increased Housing Diversity Areas, particularly around the Ocean Grove town centre. The Increased Housing Diversity Areas, subject to strict height, site coverage & design provisions applied to respect the town’s coastal character and significant environment and landscape qualities, are not new and already form part of Geelong Council’s existing planning policies which have been in place for some time.

We are encouraging all interested members of the public to review the draft SPP and make an on-line submission because it is important for the Government to continue to hear directly from as many community members as possible. Bellarine Peninsula | Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Program | Engage Victoria

The Association intends to strongly press the widespread community views expressed in its “Enough is Enough” campaign and will be making its own detailed submission to Government.

If you are pressed for time to read the full draft SPP we suggest you read the “Bellarine Peninsula Frequently Asked Questions” on the engage.vic.gov.au website which provides a really good summary of the background and key points of the draft SPP.

We are encouraging individual community members can make their own submission online through engage.vic.gov.au website until 5pm 20 August 2021

Ocean Grove DAL proposed boundary

Draft Bellarine Statement of Planning Policy Released

Andy Town Boundary (DAL) July 3, 2021July 15, 2021Bellarine DAL, Daft Bellarine Peninsula ‘Distinctive Areas and Landscapes’, Draft Bellarine DAL, Ocean Grove DAL, Ocean Grove Town Boundary

3 July 2021

From Mia Davison  Project Director, Distinctive Areas and Landscapes 

Public consultation on the draft Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy is now open

Thank you for your interest in our Bellarine Peninsula Distinctive Area and Landscape project. On behalf of the Victorian Government, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is seeking your feedback on a draft Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) to guide the future of land use and development on the Bellarine Peninsula for the next 50 years. It has been developed by DELWP in collaboration with the Borough of Queenscliffe, the City of Greater Geelong Council and the Traditional Owners, the Wadawurrung, and other government agencies.

The iconic Bellarine Peninsula is known for eye-catching coastlines, unique habitats, rural landscapes, primary producers, historic villages and a relaxed coastal lifestyle. From busy towns like Ocean Grove and Drysdale to the small laidback villages of Queenscliff and Indented Head, the Bellarine Peninsula is a place where Victorian’s can live or holiday, enjoying coastal views and locally grown produce. The characteristics that make the Bellarine Peninsula such a desirable place to live and visit, however, are under threat from over-development, increased visitation and the effects of climate change.

The draft SPP provides an important step towards protecting the valued attributes of the Bellarine Peninsula declared area. It will help ensure environmental resilience, provide certainty for investment, and build a strong economy for current and future generations. Once finalised and implemented, the SPP will provide the highest level of state planning protection.

Have your say

You are invited to view the draft Bellarine Peninsula SPP and provide a submission.

Submissions must be received by 5.00pm on Friday 20 August 2021 and must be lodged through the Engage Victoria platform at https://engage.vic.gov.au/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/bellarine-peninsula

You can view the draft Bellarine Peninsula SPP, as well as supporting technical documents, by visiting the above Engage Victoria website page. You can choose to complete either a short or long form submission, and attach further information as part of your submission. Submissions will be treated as public documents and will be published on the Victorian Government’s engagement website. Proforma submissions and petitions will only be counted as one submission, and any contact will be made through the first-named person.

Public information sessions

DELWP is continuing to deliver the Victorian Government’s Distinctive Areas and Landscapes program while being guided by the Victorian Government’s public health advice at the time. We propose holding in-person and online public information sessions where you can hear more about the proposals and ask questions. These sessions will take place during the public consultation period. Visit the Engage Victoria project page, https://engage.vic.gov.au/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/bellarine-peninsula, for dates, times and locations of these information sessions. Please subscribe to email updates to stay up-to-date on the project and the timing of information sessions.

Further information

· Call 136 186 (open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)

· Email planning.implementation@delwp.vic.gov.au

· Visit Engage Victoria page Bellarine Peninsula Engage Victoria project page

· Read our Frequently Asked Questions that are available on the Engage Victoria project page.

Enough is Enough 2021 – Protect Our Town Boundary – Update June 2021

Andy Town Boundary (DAL) June 8, 2021August 2, 2022Bellarine DAL, Ocean Grove DAL

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Stop developers changing the Ocean Grove Town Settlement Boundary.

Ocean Grove Community Assn Inc started this petition to Lisa Neville MP and 3 others

Developers and some landowners are currently seeking to change the Ocean Grove Town Settlement Boundary to allow even more housing development.

If you’d like to stop the sprawl of Ocean Grove and help us retain the seaside town and natural environment we all love about our town, please sign this petition.

Developers want the land to the west of Grubb Road, the land east of Banks Road and the strip of land to the north between the current Oakdene housing development and the Bellarine Highway to be included in the Ocean Grove Town Settlement Boundary.

We are in the critical window now in June 2021 with the release of a draft Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) document by DELWP expected this month (June) for community consultation and feedback. This SPP is part of the Bellarine Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL)process. This SPP must include the establishment of the permanent settlement boundary for our town of Ocean Grove and not open up yet more green spaces to developers.

Say NO to this – ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Sign up on our on line petition at:

https://www.change.org/p/lisa-neville-mp-enough-is-enough-stop-developers-changing-the-ocean-grove-town-settlement-boundary

The Ocean Grove Community Association Inc considers that the Ocean Grove Town Settlement Boundary as depicted in the Geelong Council graphic in this petition should be retained and reinforced as the long-term settlement boundary for Ocean Grove through the position currently contained in The City of Greater Geelong Settlement Strategy Amendment C395, and through The Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning (DEWLP) Statement of Planning Policy for the Bellarine Distinctive Areas and Landscapes.

The City of Greater Geelong’s Settlement Strategy plan is to keep the Ocean Grove Town Settlement Boundary as it is. Developers, unsuccessfully challenged this strategy at an Independent Panel Hearing (Amendment C395). Developers still want more land for development and will try again through the Bellarine DAL process being run by DELWP.

The Ocean Grove Community Association Inc says ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and supports the Council’s position of no change to our existing town settlement boundary.

What can you do about it? If you share our view don’t sit back and watch as our town is changed forever – make your voice heard – if you think ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Add your name to this petition.
Email the Member for the Bellarine Lisa Neville MP, and tell her “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” and you don’t want the Ocean Grove town settlement boundary changed to allow more development and you strongly support the Geelong Council’s current position in Amendment C395. Email: lisa.neville@parliament.vic.gov.au
Email the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne MP and tell him “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” and you don’t want the Ocean Grove town settlement boundary changed to allow more development and you strongly support the Geelong Council’s current position in Amendment C395. Email: richard.wynne@parliament.vic.gov.au

Share your concerns with your friends on social media or over coffee. Encourage them to have a voice and sign the petition and participate in the email campaign. Ask them to tell their friends and colleagues. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

The best way for people to keep in touch is:

Like or follow the Ocean Grove Community Association Facebook page.
Become a member of Ocean Grove Community Association at:

Membership

Follow our regular updates in local newspapers.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, stop the sprawl of Ocean Grove and help us retain the seaside town and natural environment we all love about our town. Please sign this petition and tell your friends.