Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan.
Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan (Volume 1)
The Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan (Volume 1) was adopted by Council on 13 May 2008 and has been approved by the Minister for Planning as a reference document in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme. The document sets out principles and provides guidance for the development of the seven precincts which make up the urban growth area.
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Urban Growth Zone
The Urban Growth Zone reserves land for future urban development. The zone has been applied to all the growth areas across the state to achieve better, faster developments in the growth areas.
The zoning provisions effectively replicate those of the Farming Zone until such time as a Precinct Structure Plan is approved.
The new zone will also help bring forward basic community services, so families moving into new communities have access to key services a lot earlier.
How does the Urban Growth Zone operate?
The application of the Urban Growth Zone does not, by itself, allow urban use and development to proceed. A precinct structure plan must be prepared and applied to the land before this can occur.
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Precinct Structure Plan
In the Urban Growth Zone, the precinct structure plan is the key document that triggers the conversion of non-urban land into urban land. A precinct structure plan is a long-term strategic plan what describes how a precinct or a series of sites will be developed.
The precinct structure plan, a masterplan for designing a new community, will now be the formal planning requirement for the development of an area. New urban development can proceed if it is consistent with a precinct structure plan that has been approved by the Minister for Planning and incorporated into the Planning Scheme.
Once the Precinct Structure Plan has been approved, planning permits that are consistent with the strategic intent of the precinct structure plan will be able to be issued by Council without further advertising. This is similar to the current provisions under the Development Plan Overlay.
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How are precinct structure plans developed?
Precinct structure plans will be developed for each of the seven precincts and the plan must cover all land within the precinct.
Council is committed to a partnership approach with developers to deliver viable Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) as quickly as possible over the next twelve months. The delivery of new residential communities is Council’s number one priority. Council has set three key requirements which will ultimately determine which precincts progress, allowing Council to commit to working with developers who meet the key requirements to ensure an expedited process and a high quality outcome that delivers the intent of the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan. The three key requirements are as follows:
- Control- A developer, or developer consortium, must represent 70% of the developable land across a defined precinct.
Council will calculate the area of land required to meet the 70% target.
Council requires a plan of all land in the control of a developer or developer consortium and requires a letter from a solicitor which confirms the land under the developer/ consortium’s control.
Council will not release this information to other parties and it will not be made available via FOI requests.
- Capacity, capability and commitment – A developer/ consortium must be able to demonstrate their capability and capacity to deliver a PSP ‘on the ground’, along with a commitment to the timely delivery of a new sustainable community consistent with the vision of the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan and, ultimately, a sustainable community.
A developer/ consortium must present a business plan to Council which includes:
Project delivery model including the details of the entity accountable for delivery (e.g. joint venture), decision making and authorisation processes, and access to the requisite resources to invest in both the planning and development phases. Note: Financial specifics are not required, instead Council wants to see that the project delivery model is well thought out and able to be realised.
Implementation plan from PSP to construction phases, including time frames.
Nominated consultants proposed to deliver the PSP and the co ordinating mechanism proposed for integrating these groups.
Council will not release this information to other parties and it will not be made available via FOI requests.
- Servicing – The total precinct must be able to be serviced in accordance with the Integrated Infrastructure Delivery Plan, August 2008 (IIDP), without affecting the baseline staging of service delivery reflected in the IIDP.
A formal in principle written agreement from all servicing authorities is required to the extent that the whole precinct can be serviced without compromising the delivery of the baseline staging plan reflected in the IIDP. Written agreement must be provided from the following servicing authorities: Barwon Water, Powercor, City of Greater Geelong (drainage and collector roads). Agreement is also required from VicRoads and Department of Transport if the precinct includes railway assets or arterial roads.
The agreement must state that the servicing authorities can service the precinct in the agreed timeframes.
Where alternative methods or interim solutions are proposed, documentation must be provided demonstrating the servicing authority’s in principle agreement that the proposed solution is realistic and deliverable.
Council’s agreement is required in writing prior to the commencement of precinct structure planning.
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What is a development contribution?
Development contributions are payments or in-kind works, facilities or services provided by developers towards the supply of infrastructure required to meet the future needs of a particular community, of which the development forms part.
Levies can be raised through Development Contributions Plans (DCPs) for a range of State and local government-provided infrastructure including roads, public transport, storm water and urban run-off management systems, open space and community facilities.
An approved developer contribution plan forms part of a planning scheme via a Development Contributions Plan Overlay. A DCP must be incorporated into a planning scheme using a standard amendment process before infrastructure levies can be collected from new development through the DCP.
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