Next Steps

At the Ordinary Council meeting on Tuesday 29 April 2025, the final Urban Futures Strategy, April 2025 and supporting documents were adopted by Council. The April 2025 meeting agenda, minutes taken and Zoom recording are available here.

Council will commence preparation of an amendment to the Surf Coast Planning Scheme later in 2025. The planning scheme amendment process (once exhibited) will provide a further opportunity for submissions to key policy directions contained within the Strategy.

For any questions, please contact the Strategic Planning Team info@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or alternatively call 5261 0600.

About the Urban Futures Strategy

The Urban Futures Strategy has been prepared in collaboration with consultants Spatial Economics. It provides a clear policy framework to guide sustainable urban growth in the Surf Coast Shire and defines the future role of towns to guide land use planning. The Strategy considers landscape level opportunities and constraints, including the need to protect natural environments, biodiversity assets and significant landscapes to determine where forecast growth can and should occur.

The Strategy considers forecast population and housing growth to a planning horizon of 2051 and responds to the State Planning Policy Framework requirement to plan for projected population growth over a 15-year period at a municipal basis.

The Strategy considers relevant state and regional planning policy directions including the State Government’s housing target of 8,000 additional dwellings to be provided in Surf Coast Shire by 2051. Housing targets are a key feature of the recently released Plan for Victoria.

The Strategy is informed by key technical reports (appendices) prepared by expert consultants that provide a strong and robust evidence base to support key directions in the Strategy.

The Strategy provides directions regarding the spatial distribution of urban growth and identification of appropriate locations for future growth, as well as place-specific principles and directions for growth in Winchelsea, Torquay- Jan Juc, the coastal towns and rural towns.

The Strategy has also been informed by significant community and stakeholder feedback collated from two phases of community engagement (see below).

  • Recognise landscape level bushfire risk when planning for urban growth.
  • In planning for growth protect significant landscapes, environments, and biodiversity assets, places of heritage significance, and productive agricultural land.
  • Encourage housing diversity in new urban areas and in existing communities.
  • Ensure that new and existing urban areas are well planned to deliver sustainable communities.
  • Provide clear strategic direction on the spatial distribution of urban growth in Surf Coast Shire.
  • Plan for growth on the basis of a range of realistic future housing demand scenarios and housing targets set by the State Government.

  • Recognize the limiting effect of landscape level bushfire risk and the significance of the Great Ocean Road landscape and retain the existing settlement boundaries of the coastal towns of Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven, Moggs Creek and Lorne.
  • Plan for the delivery of the remaining identified Growth Areas and strategically identify locations for infill development within the protected settlement boundary of Torquay-Jan Juc.
  • Plan for longer-term urban growth to be accommodated in Winchelsea and determine a future settlement boundary through future growth planning work.
  • Ensure urban development occurs within designated settlement boundaries and strongly discourage proposals outside of the locations identified in this strategy including new settlements.
  • Avoid designating new areas for the Rural Living Zone (RLZ).

  • What does the Strategy mean for my town?

    Read about the proposed principles and directions at a township level

    Read the summary 

Community Engagement

Phase 2 Community Engagement 2024

The second phase of community engagement ran for 8 weeks and was completed in August 2024. This phase introduced the draft Strategy and supporting documents for public viewing and feedback. Engagement included two community 'drop-in' information sessions and an opportunity to make a formal submission to the draft Strategy.

Feedback and submissions were received from the community and were presented to Council at a Hearing of Submissions (HoS) meeting on the 11 March 2025. The HoS meeting agenda, minutes taken and Zoom recording are available here.

All documentation released in Phase 1 & 2 can be found in the Document library. Please visit the FAQ's to learn more.


Phase 1 Community Engagement 2023

The first phase of community engagement ran for 8 weeks and was completed in December 2023. This first phase provided an introduction to the project and included three community 'drop-in' information sessions and an on-line survey.

The Community Engagement Report provides details of key engagement activities undertaken and a summary of engagement findings from Phase 1.

All documentation released in Phase 1 can be found in the Document library. Please visit the FAQ's to learn more about Phase 1.

Document Library

Frequently asked questions