Current Status

At the Council meeting on Tuesday 24 March 2026, the final Winchelsea Place Plan was noted as a key reference document that records the community’s aspirations for the town’s future growth and will help guide planning in line with its Vision and Principles.

View the March Council meeting agenda and minutes.

Overview

Winchelsea’s population is projected to grow steadily in coming years, and it is important to plan now. A Planning Scheme Review adopted by Council in June 2024 recognised this, recommending the preparation of a new strategic plan as a high priority.

This strategic plan will be made up of several documents including the Winchelsea Place Plan and the Winchelsea Structure Plan. Click here to see how the different plans and strategies fit together.

The Winchelsea Place Plan

The Winchelsea Place Plan was co‑designed with a 29‑member Community Working Group, selected through an expression‑of‑interest process. From July to September 2025, the group worked with Council to shape a plan reflecting what matters most to the local community. After testing this with the broader community, the final Plan highlights the things that the community values as it grows, and that delivering Winchelsea’s future is a shared responsibility between community, Council, government agencies and the private sector.

The Place Plan will guide the development of a new Structure Plan in 2026, helping to support sustainable growth that benefits existing and future residents.

Next steps - a New Structure Plan for Winchelsea

We are now preparing to develop a new Structure Plan for Winchelsea.

Guided by the Winchelsea Place Plan and Council’s Urban Futures Strategy, the Structure Plan will set a clear framework for managing Winchelsea’s sustainable development. It will reinforce the town’s distinctive character and support well‑planned and environmentally responsible growth, helping to shape a people‑focused and resilient town where people, businesses and services can thrive.

Watch this page for updates and further opportunities for community involvement.

To stay informed about next steps, please follow this project via the “follow” button at the top of the page.

Contact us

For any project enquiries, please contact the Strategic Planning team via phone 03 5261 0600 or email winchelseaplaceplan@surfcoast.vic.gov.au.