Cr O’Keefe said planners would now prepare a planning scheme amendment and there could still be changes through the consultation and approvals process.
The plan, which was adopted at an additional council meeting on Tuesday, March 30, will be a disappointment to property owners whose land was excluded from growth areas despite putting their case again when council opened another round of community consultation.
In the end, the plan did not change substantially but Cr O’Keeffe said that did not mean there would not be changes.
“I think this is what we are all realising, COVID is changing a lot of things and there is growth,” she said.
“We will continue to have ongoing discussions.”
Under high-growth scenarios the plan would have to be adjusted to keep pace with demand for residential and industrial land. All the evidence points to strong growth in Greater Shepparton, as people take advantage of workplace flexibility to seek a better lifestyle.
Cr O’Keeffe said the approval of the plan came after years of work, and an intensive period of investigation and reflection following the council election in October last year.
One of the six new councillors, Rob Priestly, estimated he had spent more than 200 hours considering the plan.
“It has been stressful, it affects people’s lives, but they (councillors) have been so committed,” Cr O’Keeffe said.
Growth has been a hot topic for Regional Cities Victoria, which is made up of the 10 largest regional municipalities and chaired by Cr O’Keeffe.
“We are talking about regional opportunities and getting investment, but we have to be able to accommodate it. We have seen this incredible strong interest in our region, but we also have to have the infrastructure to support that growth,” she said.
The top priority is the Shepparton Bypass, but council is still waiting for the business case to be released.
“We are still waiting for the business case and that has been the big hold-up, but it is progressing, and it is number one priority for government.”
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