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Monday, 9 June 2003 |
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Home>Services and Facilities>Planning>Strategic Planning>Studies
| The Mansfield Shire has recently adopted two studies of importance to the strategic direction of the Shire.
THE RURAL LIVING STRATEGIC STUDY
The Mansfield Rural Living Strategic Study represents a study of rural living development in the Mansfield Shire. The study is in response to the lack of strategic framework for rural living in the Shire. Such a framework is considered essential in order for Council to make responsible planning decisions relating to rural living.
Amendment C1 of the Mansfield Planning Scheme proposes to implement the recommendations of the study.
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| THE MANSFIELD NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER STUDY
The Mansfield Neighbourhood Character Study designates specific areas within precincts of which there are 10 identified for Mansfield. Within each precinct the aim is to ensure that residential development respects and enhances the future preferred character of the township. This is achieved by producing precinct brochures which describe the character for each precinct, state the preferred neighbourhood character, identifies issues and threats and provide design guidelines.
The Victorian Planning Provisions requires the consideration of neighbourhood character in many circumstances including the State Planning Policy Framework, the Local Planning Policy Framework, zoning, overlays and ResCode. It is envisaged that the Study will define the neighbourhood character of different precincts within Mansfield which have been difficult to discern in the past. ResCode makes it clear beyond doubt that neighbourhood character is much more than simply one element of the planning controls.
Ten precinct brochures have been prepared as part of the Study, one for each precinct. Each brochure contains a description of precinct, list of key existing characteristics, community values (which are the same for each precinct), preferred neighbourhood character statement, issues and threats and the design guidelines.
The design guidelines are specific to each precinct and include guidelines on vegetation, siting, height and built form, front boundary treatment, materials and design detail, site coverage and existing buildings.
Amendment C1 to the Mansfield Planning Scheme proposes to introduce a new Local Planning Policy into the LPPF and reference throughout various clauses of the MSS.
SHIRE OF MANSFIELD RURAL LANDS STUDY (1994)
This study recognised that pressures for non-agricultural uses and development were occurring in the rural areas of the pre-amalgamated Shire of Mansfield. The authors of the study (Henshall Hansen) noted at the time that there were no more than 8 to 10 “full-time” farmers in the Shire, with most farms dependant on off-farm employment and very few employing farm labour. They pointed out that the pressures for nonagricultural uses and development are occurring primarily beyond the Shire’s existing townships and are largely attributed to the lifestyle opportunities afforded by the attractive physical and environmental features of the Shire’s rural areas. They noted that proximity to Victoria’s premier snowfields and being part of the ‘high country’ have also enhanced the growth and development prospects of the Shire for permanent residents, weekenders and holiday makers.
Henshall Hansen noted that local planning strategies which were prepared for the Shire in the mid-1980s began to focus, for the first time, on the need to retain farm land in agricultural production and to protect the Shire’s rural character and identity. They noted that these strategies sought to discourage small lot subdivision of rural land, other than around existing townships and in other select areas, and were incorporated into the former Mansfield Planning Scheme in the form of new zones (Rural Living 1 & 2 at that time). Most of the balance of the rural land in the former Shire of Mansfield had been included in the Rural (General Farming) Zone to prevent further broad scale subdivision of allotments less than 40 hectares.
These provisions (with some modifications to comply with the Victorian Planning Provisions) were largely carried over to the current Delatite Planning Scheme.
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