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Page Last Updated:
Thursday, 24 November 2011 |
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Home>Your property>Rural Land Strategy
 What areas are covered by the strategy?
Who is undertaking the strategy?
Why is the strategy needed?
What is the strategy about?
What is the process of the strategy?
What will the outcomes of the strategy be?
What is the consultation program?
Discussion Papers
Rural Land Owner Forums What you told us
Further information
| What areas are covered by the strategy? | | The study area is generally defined as the rural areas of the Alpine Shire. It includes land included in the Farming or Rural Conservation zones in the Alpine Planning Scheme.
It is acknowledged that the rural areas of the Alpine Shire are varied and face differing constraints and opportunities. To assist in recognising and responding to these variances the rural areas of the Alpine Shire will be analslysed in precincts.
The precincts are:
1. Bright to Harrietville
2. Myrtleford to Bright
3. Wandiligong Valley
4. Buffalo River to Gapsted
5. Buckland Valley
6. Happy Valley to Mudgegonga
7. Kiewa Valley
8. Abbeyard
9. Upper Buckland Valley
10. High Plains
Precincts one to seven are the key precincts being considered by the rural land strategy and predominantly comprise the land included in the Farming Zone. Precincts eight to ten are generally remote areas of the Alpine Shire included in the Rural Conservation Zone. Top
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| Who is undertaking the strategy? | | | The Alpine Shire Council is undertaking this study. Council's strategic planning team lead by Sally Beers and Kirsten McDonald will be preparing the study with the assistance of other Council staff with specialist skills and external expert advice as required. Top
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| Why is the strategy needed? | | The future function of and expectations about the Alpine Shire's rural areas is changing. Rural land has a number of functions and values, including agriculture, landscape, environment and lifestyle. There are challenges in dealing with the competing demands of primary production versus settlement under the provisions of the current Alpine Planning Scheme.
A rural land strategy is essential in seeking to balance the competing pressures of multiple uses and to protect the agricultural, environmental and landscape values of the Alpine Shire.
The need for a rural land strategy is also identified in key strategic documents for the Alpine Shire. The Alpine Shire 2030 Community Vision calls for a rural strategy to be developed to ensure that in the year 2030 viable farming exists and the rural landscapes of the Alpine Shire have been protected.
The Council Plan and the Alpine Liveability Plan also call for the preparation of a rural land strategy. The preparation of a rural land strategy is a key deliverable in the Council Plan in working towards Council's objectives to recognise and strengthen the unique character of the Shire and to strengthen economic resilience. The Alpine Liveability Plan seeks a rural land strategy to assist in protecting the Shires natural assets.Top
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| What is the strategy about? | | The rural land strategy will establish a new policy regime for appropriately regulating rural land use and development in the context of changing agricultural practices and continued rural land development.
More specifically, the strategy will consider a number of key land use and development pressures, including:
* The loss of land from traditional agricultural production and the effect on the Shire's economy.
* The emergence of new industries, including new forms of agriculture and other value adding activities.
* The impact of, and appropriate locations for, tourism activities and accommodation development in rural areas.
* The impact of rural lifestyle living on agriculture.
* The impact of climate change and other environmental constraints on development opportunities.
* Minimum subdivision sizes.
* Appropriate locations and lot sizes for dwellings in rural areas.Top
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| What is the process of the strategy? | | The rural land strategy will be undertaken in stages.
Stage 1: Land Capability Mapping Project
Stage 1 was completed in 2005 and the results updated in 2010.
Stage 2: Issues Analysis
Stage 2 will deliver a background paper and an issues analysis. The background paper details important background and contextual information that will inform subsequent stages of the review including:
* Current state and local planning policy with respect to rural land use.
* The current provisions of the Alpine Planning Scheme.
* Presentation of spatial information including slope, geology, vegetation, significant landscapes, environmental constraints, land capability, lot size, land holding size, dwelling locations, and planning controls.
* Agricultural characteristics within the Alpine Shire.
* Agricultural trends in the Alpine Shire and throughout Victoria.
* Summary of rural precinct characteristics.
The issues analysis report will be informed by the Land Capability Mapping Project, the background paper, consultation with relevant agencies, authorities and industry stakeholders and importantly engagement with the rural community.
Stage 3: Options Development and Assessment
The options paper will present an overview of the findings from the stage 2 issues analysis and will develop and consider options in response to the issues raised.
Stage 4: Strategy Development
Stage 4 will be the culmination of the strategy and will present the recommendations for land use and development of the rural areas of the Alpine Shire.
Implementation
The recommendations of the rural land strategy will be implemented through a separate process including an amendment to the Alpine Planning Scheme.
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| What will the outcomes of the strategy be? | | The key purpose of rural land strategy is to provide the justification for changes to the policy framework, zones and overlays of the Alpine Planning Scheme with respect to rural land use management.
The rural land strategy will:
* Analyse existing land use patterns, socio and economic trends, lifestyle values, social and physical infrastructure, environmental assets and planning and policy framework of rural land.
* Address key land use and development pressures.
* Analyse the suitability of the current zones across the rural areas of the Alpine Shire and any issues with applying those zones and other controls based on land use trends, land capability and environmental constraints.
* Review minimum subdivision lot sizes and approval requirements for dwellings in the rural zones.
* Establish a new policy for regulating rural land use and development as agricultural practices change and rural land development continues.
The planning scheme is not the only mechanism available to protect and manage rural land. Land use planning will not solve all rural land related issues. Other approaches will also be necessary, such as incentives and education. Some of these approaches fall outside the role of local government.Top
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| What is the consultation program? | | Council is seeking the assistance of the rural community in the development of the strategy. Council is committed to a range of programs to enable this to happen.
To date, Council has:
* Held landholder forums in each of the seven valley based rural precincts to provide an opportunity for rural land owners and farm operators to let Council know what their key issues and future aspirations for the rural areas of the Shire are. Refer to 'Rural Land Owner Forums - What you told us' section.
The next stage of the Rural Land Strategy involves:
* Workshops to gain an understanding of the key rural issues from a rural industry, government and agency perspective.
* Opportunities for the general public to participate by completing a questionnaire.Top
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| Have your say | | Council is currently seeking the views of the rural and broader community on the issues surrounding land use and development of rural land.
If you wish to have your say, please complete an online questionnaire here.
The questionnaire is also available in hard copy from Council Offices, Churchill Avenue, Bright, or by contacting Strategic Planner, Sally Beers, on 5755 0561 or by email at info@alpineshire.vic.gov.au.
Please submit your answers by close of business Thursday, 22 December.
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| Rural Land Owner Forums What you told us | | Council has completed a series of forums that enabled rural land owners to tell us what was happening in the rural areas of the Shire and to also tell us what their aspirations are for the future of rural land and agriculture.
The following forums were held:
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| Precinct |
Dates |
Location |
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| 1. Bright to Harrietville |
Thursday 4/8/2011 |
Freeburgh Hall |
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Monday 15/8/2011 |
Council Chamber |
| 2. Myrtleford to Bright |
Thursday 18/8//2011 |
Savoy Club |
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Tuesday 23/8/2011 |
Porepunkah Hall |
| 3. Wandiligong |
Thursday 11/8/2011 |
Wandiligong Hall |
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Monday 22/8/2011 |
Council Chamber |
| 4. Buffalo River to Gapsted |
Tuesday 16/8/2011 |
Savoy Club |
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Thursday 25/8/2011 |
Myrtleford Senior Citizens Centre |
| 5. Buckland Valley |
Monday 8/8/2011 |
Porepunkah Hall |
| 6. Happy Valley to Mudgegonga |
Tuesday 2/8/2011 |
Mudgegonga Hall |
| 7. Kiewa Valley |
Monday 1/8/2011 |
St Albans Hall |
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Tuesday 9/8/2011 |
Dederang Multi-purpose Building |
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| Further information | | For further information regarding this project, please contact:
Sally Beers
Strategic Planner
Ph: (03) 5755 0561Top
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