The Colac 2050 Growth Plan is a long-term strategy that will guide the location of new housing, associated servicing infrastructure (e.g. water, drainage), and open space for the township of Colac.
The plan has been prepared by the Colac Otway Shire Council, in partnership with Regional Development Victoria and the Colac Otway community. Colac 2050 aims to help Colac become an even better place to live, work and visit - it is about planning for the future needs of residents.
Colac 2050 is a response to the G21 Regional Growth Plan prepared by the G21 Regional Growth Alliance in 2013. The G21 Regional Growth Plan sets Colac an aspirational population target of 20,000 people by 2050 and forms part of State planning policy.
Council formally adopted the Growth Plan at its Ordinary Council meeting in August 2019.
The final Growth Plan can be accessed here: Colac-2050-Growth-Plan-Final-Adopted-August-2019.pdf(PDF, 31MB).
The Growth Plan is being implemented into the Colac Otway Planning Scheme by Amendment C97 to update planning policy in the Planning Scheme to reflect the Growth Plan’s key directions.
Public Exhibition of draft Colac 2050 Growth Plan and Planning Scheme Amendment C97
The Colac 2050 Growth Plan and Planning Scheme Amendment C97 were jointly placed on public exhibition from November to mid December 2018.
Council prepared a Background Report which summarised key information relevant to guiding how Colac should grow. The report drew on a wide range of strategic documents and considered these in the context of the opportunities and constraints to future residential growth. The technical assessments which informed the Background Report can be found by clicking the link in the above menu.
A summary version of the Background Report is available below for those who are interested in a more condensed version.
Colac 2050 Background Report Summary - June 2017(PDF, 25MB)
The community’s views on how and where Colac should grow are important to Council. Council designed a comprehensive community engagement program to provide opportunities for people to participate in a variety of ways to help inform the Colac 2050 Growth Plan.
Phase One of the community engagement program, completed in July 2017, included:
- Joint Council Plan/Colac 2050 Survey
- Facilitated community and stakeholder workshops
- Information display and community wall in COPACC
- Lodgement of Submissions
The results of the Phase One community engagement program have been documented in the Colac 2050 Growth Plan - "What we Heard" Report and addendum. This Report was presented to Council at the September 2017 meeting.
The Colac 2050 Citizens’ Jury process finished in February 2018.
The Jury completed three days of deliberations in October and November 2017 where they prepared an interim report. A fourth day was held in early February 2018 in response to feedback from some jury members, to refine and consider a number of matters in further detail. The Jury’s final report was formally presented to Council at the February 2018 Council meeting.
Colac 2050 Citizens Jury Report - Final Version - Close of Day Four - 4 February 2018
Overview of the Colac 2050 Citizens’ Jury
The Colac 2050 Citizens' Jury aimed to involve the wider community in the preparation of the Colac 2050 Growth Plan by making recommendations to Council. Council will remain the statutory decision maker.
The jury was recruited and made up of a representative sample of citizens selected in a random and then stratified manner so that the final jury reflected our community. They were briefed in detail on the background and current thinking relating to the Colac 2050 Growth Plan, and were asked to discuss possible approaches to growth.
The Colac 2050 Citizens' Jury complemented the other forms of consultation undertaken.
What was their role?
The Colac 2050 Citizens' Jury had an important role: Together considered how and where Colac should grow by:
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Evaluating ideas contributed by the community
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Developing their own goals & plans
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Making recommendations for Council for the final Growth Plan.
When
The Citizens' Jury met for three days to deliberate on how and where Colac should grow:
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Saturday 28 October 2017, 9am – 5pm
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Sunday 12 November 2017, 9am – 5pm
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Saturday 25 November 2017, 9am - 5pm
Meetings were held at Central Reserve, Gravesend Street Colac. Jury members were paid $50 a day, with meals supplied.
Who Could Register
Council selected the jury through an expression of interest process from shire residents or ratepayers over 18 years of age. Jury members were required to be available to attend all three jury days.
Colac 2050 - Citizens' Jury Resources