04 Feb Casey Council Seeking to Update Their Housing Policy
This Amendment is seeking to implement the Housing Strategy, specifically to differentiate the preferred location, diversity and built form of housing in the established areas of the municipality.
The Housing Strategy identifies substantial, incremental and minimal change areas. The Amendment C198 seeks to implement the Housing Strategy as follows:
- Higher density housing is encouraged in substantial change areas and well located incremental change areas and it is proposed to implement this with the application of Residential Growth Zone and new schedules to the General Residential Zone.
- An area of minimal change in Berwick has also been identified and is recognised with a proposed Neighbourhood Residential Zone.
- Lastly, the Housing Strategy has also considered a number of low density housing areas and the Amendment proposes to introduce Schedules to the Low Density Residential Zone to provide for different minimum lot sizes. Low density areas that are connected to reticulated sewerage and have limited landscape/environmental constraints have been recognised as capable of having a smaller minimum lot size.
The Amendment is substantially through the process (you can find out more about this Amendment here). It has been exhibited and a Planning Panel has considered all submissions. The Planning Panel have released their report. Overall the Planning Panel are supportive of the Amendment. They have made recommendations for some minor changes, but the overall objectives and intent of the Amendment are supported. From here the Council will consider the recommendations of the Panel. They will decide if they want to make none, some or all of the recommended changes. Once that has been decided and implemented they will likely be in a position to lodge the Amendment with Minister for approval. It may be some time before this Amendment is completed. We will keep track of its process and will provide an update when the final decision is made.