Rural Strategy - Surf Coast Shire

Surf Coast Shire Rural Strategy Review
Final Report
6.6 Surf Coast Shire Housing Strategy
As noted at Section 6.4.1, Ministerial Direction No. 6 requires that Councils demonstrate that
an amendment to the planning scheme through application of the Rural Living Zone must be
consistent with the housing and settlement strategy for the area. The Surf Coast Housing
Strategy was adopted by Council in 2006.
The Housing Strategy noted the following Objectives, relevant to the Rural Strategy:
1.1 Protect areas of the Shire with significant environmental and landscape
values
1.2 Protect viable agricultural land from further encroachment by residential uses
and township growth
1.3 Ensure that urban development minimises the impact on the environment,
makes efficient use of land, infrastructure and resources, and is concentrated in
accessible locations.
2.2 Increase the supply of affordable housing for low income households and
improve affordability of housing for low income households
The Housing Strategy also outlines a range strategies and actions. relevant to the Rural
Strategy and these are summarised and analysed in Table 6-1 in terms of any support that
they lend to justification of additional land for rural living development. The strategies and
actions are targeted towards:
Protecting environmental and landscape values;
Discouraging fringe development around serviced towns and isolated rural living
development;
Maintaining green breaks; and
Protecting of land with significant agricultural values.
It was concluded from this analysis that strategies and actions outlined in the Housing
Strategy provide no or only qualified support to additional Rural Living zoned land in Surf
Coast. Instead rural residential development would be more appropriately addressed as
urban issue in township structure plans.
Further to this the Housing Strategy found that the land supply in existing and future
residentially zoned land is adequate to meet the forecast needs for the Shire for
approximately 30 years.
Demand for rural living was articulated through the consultation. This assessment of the
Housing Strategy has found that provision of additional land zoned Rural Living would not be
consistent with the Housing Strategy objectives as required by Ministerial Direction No. 6.
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