East Gippsland Shire Council is moving to improve and update its main town planning document to help guide planning decisions for the future.

Council has decided to seek the Minister for Planning’s authorisation to prepare amendments to the East Gippsland Planning Scheme to include important guidelines for the future.

The changes involve updating the planning scheme to include the vision and strategies for East Gippsland that Council and community have worked on in recent years. This will help guide the future development of the shire.

Mayor Cr Tom Crook said the proposed amendments will ensure that Council-adopted plans and strategies such as the Council Plan, Economic Development Strategy, Housing and Settlement Strategy, Rural Land Use Strategy and Environmental Sustainability Strategy are reflected in local planning policy.

“The amendments will provide important planning directions based on our consultation with the community” Cr Crook said.

“We are conscious of balancing the need for housing and development with environmental sustainability. A common theme running through the local policies is to allow our communities to thrive and to protect the environment, natural values and resources of East Gippsland, which we all value.

"This is included in our Council Plan and supported by State Government policy direction to deliver sustainable development outcomes,” Cr Crook said.

The amendments will enable planned growth and environmental protection across East Gippsland. They will provide for residential growth in towns like Paynesville and Eagle Point, support managed housing growth throughout the shire and protect our important farming land.

The amendments will also ensure that larger developments include best practice environmentally sustainable design.

“When we receive authorisation from the Minister for Planning, the amendments will be on public exhibition for community feedback for at least 28 days,” Cr Crook said.

“Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we are proud of our role in creating the conditions for our communities to thrive. All outcomes of the public exhibition period will be presented for Council consideration at a future Council meeting. This will enable a full and detailed review of the Amendments based on public submissions.”

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