Momentum is building behind a 15-year-minimum plan to establish Skipton as a commuter and service town attractive to businesses and tourists.
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Corangamite Shire councillors voted to create a Project Working Group - led by north ward councillor Nick Cole - to guide the planning process at a monthly meeting on Tuesday night.
Deputy mayor Geraldine Conheady said the "vital" pre-planning process would provide a solid foundation for future development.
"We're recognising the potential and preparing for the opportunities that Skipton has - that's something really important to do in our shire, we've done it for Cobden just recently and I know we've got a plan to move around some of the towns to do similar work," she said.
"This is vital pre-planning that provides that anchor for future development. We know it's coming, Skipton is located quite strategically near to Ballarat just outside our shire and that makes a difference.
"To have this vision and strategic planning put down on paper where we've thought it through, thought really carefully about what we need to do to have the right plans and structure in place to go ahead when the opportunities arise (is important).
"We've got housing subdivision, services and infrastructure for businesses and industry growth, to make sure we're ready and prepared for it and know what we need to do to be able to deliver on those things."
The newest development forms an important early step as strategic land use planning for the town was last undertaken in 2001, with the planning framework now outdated and no longer aligned with state and regional planning policy.
While project planning is being finalised, the project is expected to begin in March 2023 with a final structure plan scheduled for council adoption by February 2024.
Planning scheme amendments and other actions for implementation would follow.
A key factor in planning for the town's future growth and development will be Mount Emu Creek, which runs through Skipton.
The town has been subject to a number of significant flood events, the most recent of which occurred in October when 23 properties were damaged.
Other key considerations - many of which rise from the council plan 2021-2025 - include delivering more housing and subdivision to cater for population growth, as well as services and infrastructure enabling residential, industry and business growth.
To support the preparation and delivery of the structure plan, the council has been successful in obtaining $100,000 project funding through the Victorian Planning Authority Streamlining for Growth Program 2022-2023.
That's in addition to the council's own budget allocation of $80,000.
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