Rural Strategy - Surf Coast Shire

Surf Coast Shire Rural Strategy Review
Final Report
Surf Coast Rural Strategy (2007)
The review of the rural land strategy has concluded the following:
A long history of agricultural production has left a legacy of rural landscapes and townships valued
by the Surf Coast community and significant to the Shire’s identity and livability;
While comparatively modest, the economic value of agriculture continues to grow and there is
potential for further development of agricultural production, particularly horticulture, based on
recycled water;
Farming and agriculture are particularly important and valued in the northern area of the Shire;
The Shire has significant environmental assets that contribute to the amenity and landscape of the
Shire and are important to the Shire’s tourism;
Landholders farming for lifestyle purposes are a significant proportion of the rural population,
particularly in the rural hinterland;
Farming and the rural landscape provide non-urban breaks particularly between Geelong and
Torquay and between coastal settlements and are an important element of the settlement strategy;
and
Tourism has traditionally focused on the coast however, there are opportunities for tourism
development, particularly in the farmed rural hinterland. These opportunities should not come at
the expense of environmental, landscape, social and agricultural values.
Vision
The Surf Coast Rural Land Use Strategy sets out a long term vision for the Shire’s rural areas that:
Encourages growth of sustainable agriculture;
Grows and maintains prosperous and sustainable rural communities;
Minimises urban-rural conflicts;
Protects rural landscapes; and
Protects and enhances environmental assets.
Key Strategic Directions
The key strategic directions of the Surf Coast Rural Land Use Strategy are:
Provide a planning framework that will support agriculture and protect the rural-farmed landscape
and not prejudice the ability of future generations to productively farm the land;
Support agricultural activities and associated rural industries that will maintain and build on the
economic base of the Shire;
Strongly discourage fragmentation and non-productive uses of agricultural land as well as
additional dwellings unrelated to the agricultural use of the land;
Encourage the use of existing small lots for innovative or niche productive activities that are not
dependent upon or associated with the development of a dwelling on the lot;
Refuse inappropriate subdivisions or land uses that take rural land out of agricultural production;
Provide opportunities to increase the size of land holdings in order to increase economics of scale
through the continued application of the Shire’s tenement controls;
RMCG Consultants for Business, Communities & Environment
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