Project Introduction - Planning for Deans Creek
The Colac 2050 Growth Plan identifies the Dean Creek growth area as the direction for growth of the town. It contains recommendations for Council to plan for future growth as a priority, to enable the Shire to achieve its population target of 20,000 by 2050.
Planning for growth in Deans Creek commenced in 2021, with Council being successful in obtaining funding to prepare a Prencinct Structure Plan for the area. The following external funding was received:
- Regional Development Victoria - $425,000
- Victorian Planning Authority - $270,000
An additional $300,000 was committed by Council, bringing the total budget to $995,000.
Due to the identification of significant constraints that have emerged in the preparation of the Precinct Structure Plan and the resulting difficulties in achieving a viable developed outcome for the growth area, Council has revised its approach to planning for the growth area. The Precinct Structure Plan process will be discontinued, and Council will seek to prepare a plan that more effectively responds to the conditions of the site.
Changes to the Deans Creek PSP - Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the project scope changing?
Council is exploring more cost-effective and flexible ways to plan for future growth in the Deans Creek Growth Area, following the emergence of number of constraints relating to infrastructure costs, environmental conditions and challenges coordinating construction of development infrastructure across numerous small parcels. The role of the next stage of work is to consider how these constraints might be resolved to enable development to occur.
What does this mean for the PSP project?
The PSP process will be discontinued to allow Council to progress with preparation of an alternative planning instrument that is considered more appropriate in the current circumstances (The Outline Development Plan).
Council engaged with landowners and the community as part of the PSP, in 2022 as part of phase one of the project. The community had opportunity to have their say on the direction of future growth in Deans Creek and what this might look like.
This feedback will be used to inform the vision and principles of the Outline Development Plan for Deans Creek (attach the Engagement Findings Report).
How does an ODP differ from a PSP?
There are a number of key differences between an ODP and a PSP.
Both plans provide for a framework to guide future development, however an ODP is more flexible and is able to be prepared at lower cost.
The key difference is that the ODP will defer key activities to later stages (i.e. preparation of detailed infrastructure designs and rezoning of land).
How would the ODP work?
The ODP will set out the urban framework (i.e. roads, transport links, land use, open space, community facilities, stormwater and drainage) in a general way.
The ODP will be developed with viability in mind – any areas that are confirmed to be unviable due to flooding, soil conditions or difficulties in coordinating enabling infrastructure will be excluded from the ODP.
The ODP will set out the requirements for developers to address when preparing a request to rezone land.
Council will work with development proponents to assess requests and navigate the State Government approval process.
How is the project funded?
The project will be funded within the existing budget for the Deans Creek PSP.
What are the next steps?
Council is currently working with consulting engineers to understand in more detail which areas will be viable to develop with the required infrastructure, and which areas need to be excluded from further planning.
Once the revised study area is known, Council will seek to prepare the Outline Development plan, which will set out the urban framework comprising the general location of roads, transport links, land use, open space, community facilities and stormwater and drainage assets.
A number of technical assessments have been undertaken, or currently underway. These assessments enable the existing conditions of the site to be understood and ensure that any issues are appropriately managed in the development of the area.
The assessments will be published here once they have been finalised.
Deans Creek PSP Post Contact Heritage Assessment (FINAL)(PDF, 5MB)
Deans Creek PSP Landscape Visual Assessment Report (FINAL)(PDF, 26MB)
Deans-Creek-Land-Capability-Soils-Assessment-EHS-Support-Final-Report.pdf(PDF, 61MB)