The proposed Planning Scheme Amendment C274gben is now on public exhibition for community feedback and aims to implement the relevant recommendations contained in the Heathcote Township Plan.
City of Greater Bendigo Director Strategy and Growth Rachel Lee said the amendment proposed to include considerations specific to Heathcote in the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme.
"It follows extensive community engagement during the development of the township plan, where people provided feedback on what services, infrastructure and environmental values of the area mattered to them," Ms Lee said.
"The proposed amendment will give clearer guidance for Heathcote's local area in the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme when dealing with future planning applications.
"It proposes to guide land use and development in the Heathcote town centre and immediate surrounds, which will have a positive impact on the amenity of the area.
"It also recommends a number of rezonings, the correction of zoning and overlay anomalies and the application of planning controls to land to manage environmental values."
Amendment C274gben proposes to:
- Make various changes, largely to correct zoning and overlay anomalies (such as residentially used properties but in a commercial zone, or Crown land that is in a rural zone but should be a Public Park and Recreation Zone)
- Rezone land in a Commercial 1 and 2 Zone to a Neighbourhood Residential Zone where land is not appropriate for commercial development
- Remove the Neighbourhood Character Overlay (NCO) where the Heritage Overlay (HO) also applies
- Apply the Design and Development Overlay 6 to private land that adjoins forested crown land to protect the vegetation and environmental values of the crown land
- Apply the Environmental Audit Overlay to land on the Back Kyneton Road, formerly the Shire of McIvor landfill
- Introduce a number of Heathcote-specific policies to the Planning Policy Framework to help guide planning decisions in Heathcote
The proposed amendment is on public exhibition for four weeks and all formal written submissions must be received by close of business on Monday March 18, 2024.
Submissions can be emailed to or sent to the Strategic Planning unit, City of Greater Bendigo, PO Box 733, Bendigo 3552.
An officer from the City's Strategic Planning team will be based at the Heathcote Office from 10am to 3pm on February 21 and 28 and March 6 and 13 to respond to any queries.
