Provide feedback on Public Open Space Contribution Rates (Planning Scheme Amendment C151bawb)

Consultation has concluded

Community feedback on the proposal to introduce additional public open space contribution rates within Baw Baw Shire is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took part during the exhibition period.

What is Planning Scheme Amendment C151bawb?

Planning Scheme Amendment C151bawb introduces additional public open space contribution rates to the Schedule to Clause 53.01 - Public Open Space Contribution and Subdivision of the Baw Baw Planning Scheme.

Why is it under review?

Baw Baw Shire is experiencing strong population growth, that is forecast to continue over the next 30 years. An increasing population corresponds with an increasing demand for public open space, that is met with both the provision of new public open space and improvements to existing public open space areas.

The revised Schedule to Clause 53.01 Public Open Space Contribution and Subdivision, will separate the municipality into areas which incorporate localities in Baw Baw based on forecast population growth.

About the review

Council engaged SGS Economics and Planning (SGS) to undertake a review of public open space contribution rates across the municipality. In completing this task, SGS has prepared the ‘Public Open Space Contributions Assessment’ report (the Report).

The Report determined that if no further public open space were to be developed across the municipality that by 2051 there would be insufficient public open space available for the increased population.

The amendment implements the recommendations of the Report which proposes the introduction of a public open space contribution rate to Longwarry, Trafalgar and Yarragon and to Warragul and Drouin in areas outside of the Urban Growth Zone (UGZ). The proposed rate for these towns is 7.4 per cent in areas zoned as residential, commercial or industrial.

The public open space contribution rate proposed for the remaining land within the municipality is 2.3 per cent.

Community consultation

Consultation on the proposal to introduce additional public open space contribution rates within Baw Baw Shire closed on Monday 14 October 2024.

We asked our community to review the amendment and supporting documents, and provide feedback in the form of a written submission to be considered by Council.

At the 4 December Council Meeting, Baw Baw Shire Councillors moved to request the Minister for Planning appoint a Panel to consider submissions to the planning scheme amendment C151bawb. 

Next steps

There was a Panel Hearing regarding C151bawb on Monday 24 February 2025 at 10am.

A link was published (MS Teams meeting) to Council's website on the day of the Hearing.

The Panel report can be viewed here.

Community feedback on the proposal to introduce additional public open space contribution rates within Baw Baw Shire is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took part during the exhibition period.

What is Planning Scheme Amendment C151bawb?

Planning Scheme Amendment C151bawb introduces additional public open space contribution rates to the Schedule to Clause 53.01 - Public Open Space Contribution and Subdivision of the Baw Baw Planning Scheme.

Why is it under review?

Baw Baw Shire is experiencing strong population growth, that is forecast to continue over the next 30 years. An increasing population corresponds with an increasing demand for public open space, that is met with both the provision of new public open space and improvements to existing public open space areas.

The revised Schedule to Clause 53.01 Public Open Space Contribution and Subdivision, will separate the municipality into areas which incorporate localities in Baw Baw based on forecast population growth.

About the review

Council engaged SGS Economics and Planning (SGS) to undertake a review of public open space contribution rates across the municipality. In completing this task, SGS has prepared the ‘Public Open Space Contributions Assessment’ report (the Report).

The Report determined that if no further public open space were to be developed across the municipality that by 2051 there would be insufficient public open space available for the increased population.

The amendment implements the recommendations of the Report which proposes the introduction of a public open space contribution rate to Longwarry, Trafalgar and Yarragon and to Warragul and Drouin in areas outside of the Urban Growth Zone (UGZ). The proposed rate for these towns is 7.4 per cent in areas zoned as residential, commercial or industrial.

The public open space contribution rate proposed for the remaining land within the municipality is 2.3 per cent.

Community consultation

Consultation on the proposal to introduce additional public open space contribution rates within Baw Baw Shire closed on Monday 14 October 2024.

We asked our community to review the amendment and supporting documents, and provide feedback in the form of a written submission to be considered by Council.

At the 4 December Council Meeting, Baw Baw Shire Councillors moved to request the Minister for Planning appoint a Panel to consider submissions to the planning scheme amendment C151bawb. 

Next steps

There was a Panel Hearing regarding C151bawb on Monday 24 February 2025 at 10am.

A link was published (MS Teams meeting) to Council's website on the day of the Hearing.

The Panel report can be viewed here.