Apollo Bay Structure Plan Review
In 2007 Council adopted the current Apollo Bay Structure Plan. This Plan is a critical planning document that outlines the long-term development framework for the townships of Apollo Bay and Marengo and its surrounding areas. It considered the outcomes of a 2002 Neighbourhood Character Study and was the basis for a planning scheme amendment that introduced new planning controls across the townships.
The current Structure Plan is approaching 20 years old and needs review. With this review it is proposed to include Skenes Creek as part of the project.
The key principles in the Apollo Bay Structure Plan in 2007 were:
- Apollo Bay, Marengo and Skenes Creek should remain as distinct coastal settlements, each with a separate identity and local character.
- The natural beauty of the area, with its unspoilt beaches set against a dramatic backdrop of rolling hills, provides the overarching character which unites the settlements, and should be reinforced in new development.
- The seaside fishing village character of Apollo Bay focussed around a robust working harbour, is highly valued and this character should be preserved and strengthened by new development.
- Change should take place in a way that sets Apollo Bay apart from other settlements by a demonstrated commitment to healthy lifestyles and ecological sustainability, and responsiveness to the natural environment.
- The settlements should continue to provide for high quality living, offering improved community facilities and services, as well as economic development opportunities, for self-sustaining lifestyle.
Many of these principles are likely to remain valid. A revised Structure Plan will revisit the key principles to see if they remain valid in 2025 and to identify any new or emerging planning trends.
Study Area
The Study Area for the project is focused on the Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek and Marengo townships as shown in Figure 1. It will include all public land including road reserves, crown land, creeks and recreational areas within and surrounding the town.
Road of Structure Plans
A structure plan is a strategic planning document that aims to give effect to the policies and objectives set out for the use and development of land in the State Planning Policy Framework. It also seeks to provide effectively for changing community needs and aspirations. Structure plans provide the framework for the long-term development of a place by defining the preferred direction of future growth and by articulating how change will be managed.
Structure plans guide major changes to land use, built form, access and movement networks, and public spaces that together can achieve environmental, social and economic outcomes for a place.
A structure plan also provides the framework for statutory planning controls that can be implemented through the Colac Otway Planning Scheme.
Objectives for the Apollo Bay Structure Plan Review
The main objectives and deliverables of the project are to:
- To review and update the vision and strategic directions for the Apolo Bay, Marengo and Skenes Creek that more readily apply to the current context and planning challenges.
- To assess and provide strategic actions to address acute shortages in the housing market and lack of affordable housing.
- To review current planning controls in the context of constraints that limit the expansion of the township boundary to facilitate future housing supply and encourage infill development that enhances the character of the township, including updated assessments of township character.
- To assess development options in the context of mitigating the risk of bushfire, acknowledging changes to the mapping of the Bushire Mapping Overlay since the 2007 Structure Plan.
- Provide direction for commercial development.
Timeline
The project commenced in August 2025 and will take approximately 12 months to complete.