Council meeting wrap up - August 2024

The new planning controls will increase the protection of flora and fauna in Harcourt.

They will:

• Protect plant and animal species identified as significant and identifying ‘habitat corridors’, along roadside and waterways in Harcourt.
• Apply Vegetation Protection and Environmental Significance Overlays on land in the Harcourt township.
• Rezone land to Rural Conservation to protect larger areas of high significance.
• Revise the township boundary to account for the findings in the Strategic Biodiversity Assessment.

The planning controls will apply to public and private land in Harcourt.

Council estimates that there are up to a few dozen private properties that will be potentially impacted.

The planning controls are happening in Harcourt as part of a major project called Plan Harcourt.

Plan Harcourt examines land use planning, town centre design and local economic development ideas. It also looks to protect Harcourt’s biodiversity.

The plan has been in the works since 2020, and has involved collaboration and consultation with Harcourt Valley Landcare, as well as community consultation.

This is a large-scale, multi-year project that means positive outcomes for Harcourt’s biodiversity.

The new planning controls will come into effect once approved by the Minister for Planning and then published in the Victoria Government Gazette.

Council worked collaboratively with community groups, government agencies and expert consultants to research, consult and implement these planning controls, and we’d like to thank them for their input on the project.

Council also consulted with the Harcourt community about the proposed planning controls from May to June 2024. This included an online survey, drop-in sessions and discussions with community members.

We’d like to thank the Harcourt community for their time and enthusiasm during the consultation stage of the process.

Learn more about the planning controls at www.shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/proposed-planning-controls.

Councillor Rosie Annear - “As Council knows, Harcourt is going to be a major growth area for us. We really need to direct growth sensibly, making sure that it's bushfire and flood safe, making sure we don't impact our environment too much, making sure that it's close to services, and making sure we have housing that suits the people who need housing.”

Councillor Gary McClure - “I'd like to congratulate the team on the work they've done. We've got report after report after report - there's been a lot of work, and a lot of things have been considered over a long period of time.

There's been a lot of opportunity for community consultation, along with all the departments that have been involved, right through the process.”

Great! There’s a couple of options available to you. You can:

• Watch the meeting back on YouTube – search Mount Alexander Shire Council
• Read the Council meeting minutes, available on the Friday following the meeting at www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au – search ‘Past Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes’.