Agenda item

SUMMARY

The Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Project (the Project) will provide a world-class mountain bike trail development that will promote an active and healthy community and an economic boost to the visitor economy.

The draft planning scheme Amendment C198 documentation was advertised as part of the formal exhibition process of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Environment Effects Statement (EES). As part of this formal process submissions were invited on both the EES and the planning scheme amendment.

On 28 October 2022, the Minister for Planning completed an assessment of the Project’s effects under the Environment Effects Act 1978, following the release of the report from the Inquiry and Advisory Committee (IAC) that conducted a public hearing from 15 March 2022 to 7 April 2022, to consider the 2707 submissions received on the project following its public exhibition. Of those approximately 2400 were submissions in support of the project.

The next step in the statutory approval process required to facilitate the construction of the project is the finalisation of a planning scheme amendment (Amendment C198).

Amendment C198 proposes to:

·               Apply a Specific Controls Overlay (SCO16) to the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Project Land to provide a comprehensive statutory planning control to facilitate the construction and operation of the Project.  The SCO is a planning scheme provision that can be used rather than multiple separate planning permits that would be otherwise required under various provisions of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme;

·               Amend the schedule to Clause 45.12 (Specific Controls Overlay) to insert a new Schedule 16 and a new Incorporated Document titled “Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Project Incorporated Document, March 2022”, that sets out various conditions and plans that must be provided and met before the construction phase; and

As the amendment is one of Regional significance and has been considered through an exhibition and hearing process, it is proposed to request the Minister for Planning to use their powers of intervention under Section 20(4) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to prepare, adopt and approve the amendment to the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme.

In accordance with Governance Rule 58, Andrew Caspar spoke in support of the recommendation included in the officer report.