Ballarat councillors decide on the city's future growth areas

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the motion to apply to the Minister for Planning for approval to prepare and exhibit a planning scheme amendment to rezone three growth areas to Urban Growth Zone.

The growth areas are at the northern edge of the city, north of the Western Freeway and taking up parts of Mount Rowan between Burrumbeet Creek and the Midland Highway; an expansion of the western growth zone, stretching from Bells Road in the south to Cuthberts Road in the north; and a north-western area, west of the ongoing development in Lucas and Cardigan.

Following the motion, council will also prepare a precinct structure plan for the northern growth area following the proposed rezoning.

Explore the northern growth zone here:

A Growth Areas Framework Plan will also be prepared to "establish the most appropriate sequencing of precinct structure plan preparation" for the western and north-western areas.

A slightly amended motion was moved by south ward councillor Ben Taylor and seconded by north ward councillor Peter Eddy.

Cr Taylor's motion added a line that officers would also report back to council on the progress of the rezoning quarterly and for the project plan to also include timeframes for the Growth Areas Framework Plan.

Council started the process of lining up the city's next growth areas in October 2019 when it voted to pursue the northern and western growth zones, knocking back two other options including the north-western zone.

Almost a year later, council approved a motion to include rezoning of the northern and western areas as part of a planning scheme amendment to streamline and fast-track the process.

The council officer report estimates Ballarat's population to reach between 160,000 to 185,000 by 2040, with the latter figure calculated based on a growth rate of 2.5 per cent and requiring about 29,000 new homes to house an additional 72,000 people.

Explore the western growth zone here:

Current planning permit data indicates existing development is split between 70 per cent greenfield and 30 per cent infill while the Ballarat Planning Scheme aspires to a 50-50 split.

"The Ballarat Planning Scheme therefore identifies growth investigation areas and infill/brownfield housing aspires to achieve all new housing supply equally split between 50 per cent infill and 50 per cent growth areas in line with the vision for a vibrant and consolidated Ballarat," the report said.

"Percentages aside the key issues are to recognise the importance of greenfield development, whilst supporting strong demand for housing within the existing residential zoned areas of Ballarat."

The council officer report said the rezoning would ensure "the city is geared up to accommodate its anticipated population growth to 185,000 by 2040-41".

Explore the north-western growth zone here:

The northern growth area is expected to include 6190 dwellings and 15,475 people, the western growth area is expected to include 13,440 dwellings and 33,600 people and the north-western area is expected to include 5000 dwellings and 12,500 people.

"Whilst an estimate, the data indicates that the proposed growth areas will provide enough land to accommodate Ballarat's greenfield growth that can be holistically planned and staged in its delivery," the report said.

Fourteen submissions were made to the item, many by those in expertise in planning, during an item that lasted more than 90 minutes. Some of those experts were in favour of the new growth zones while others were concerned council was taking on too much at once.

Some submissions also raised concerns with how the growth zones would be planned, including concerns about the preservation of the Ballarat Town Common which is included in the northern growth zone.

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In response, council's director of development and growth Natalie Robertson said future planning would identify areas for residential development, open space and other uses and council recognised the Ballarat Town Common as a site to be set aside for open space.

Cr Taylor said if council were to plan for a 2.5 per cent growth rate and lot sizes around the same size as Lucas across all three growth areas, it would actually fall short of the estimated 29,000 needed.

"It's scary to think we're going with three different growth fronts and we're short of those lots. The worst thing we could do tonight is make a decision that seems big and come back 10 years later with a housing crisis because we don't have enough," he said.

Mayor Daniel Moloney said the decision was one of the biggest of this council term.

"This is probably one of the most significant decisions we'll make in our time as a council group. This is a decision that affects every Ballarat resident. It is a decision that affects how we live, where we live, how we move around our city... There's barely an aspect of our future lives in this city that isn't impacted by this decision," he said.