Council will write to the Victorian Minister for Planning expressing concern about delays and inefficiencies by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) in relation to Council's Planning Scheme Amendment C117.
Campaspe Mayor Cr Chrissy Weller said the draft amendment requires urgent finalisation to unlock critically-needed residential land in Echuca West.
"Council has been working with the Victorian Planning Authority for four years to prepare Amendment C117 to address the critical shortage of residential land available in Echuca," Cr Weller said.
"The amendment will provide the next 40 years of residential land supply, enabling the development of 5,000 new dwellings and a new community of 14,000 residents.
"Despite the Victorian Planning Authority assisting Council to prepare the draft amendment, it has taken six months for DELWP to respond to it.
"We are both frustrated and concerned by DELWP's slow response, the inefficiency of the process and the nature of the conditions they have imposed to further progress the amendment.
"It is unacceptable that, despite the department's prior knowledge of the urgent need for developable land in Echuca and that Council has worked diligently with the Victorian Planning Authority to prepare the amendment, our Planning team has continued to face barriers in trying to finalise an outcome of such critical importance to our future."
Amendment C117 relates to the Echuca West Precinct Structure Plan and Development Contributions Plan for 615 hectares of developable land in Echuca West. The land is bounded by Murray Valley Highway to the north, Northern Highway to the east, Echuca West School Road to the south and Stratton Road to the west.
The structure plan will guide the future development of the precinct. It identifies major infrastructure required such as drainage, open space and traffic assets, and will integrate existing infrastructure, including the local convenience centre, schools and community facilities.
