Mount Alexander Shire Council, Media Release, 31 August 2021
Council is amending its planning scheme to introduce updated guidelines for building or altering buildings in Maldon’s heritage areas and precincts.
Council adopted the updated Maldon Design Guidelines in September last year after extensively consulting the community, including the Maldon Design Guidelines Project Advisory Group, and urban and heritage advisors over two years.
Under planning laws it must now amend its planning scheme with Planning Scheme Amendment C96 to formally incorporate the updated guidelines, a step requiring their exhibition for community feedback for a further six weeks.
Mount Alexander Shire Councillor, Stephen Gardner, who represents the Tarrengower Ward in which Maldon sits, said incorporating the guidelines highlighted Council’s commitment to protecting the town’s heritage.
“The previous guidelines had not been updated since they were originally prepared more than 40 years ago and the revised version is all about encouraging buildings that complement Maldon’s historic streetscape character,” said Cr Gardner.
“Council has taken great care to ensure that our community has been informed and listened to as we prepared the guidelines, and this provides a further opportunity for affected members of the community to make a submission as we prepare to take this next step.”
The Maldon Design Guidelines provide detailed design criteria for buildings within the Maldon township boundary covered by precinct heritage overlays, places with individual heritage overlays and areas affected by Significant Landscape Overlay Schedules 1 and 3.
The proposed C96 amendment will open for public exhibition for six weeks from Monday 30 August until Sunday 10 October 2021.
Amendment documents and information on how to make a submission can be viewed at www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/MaldonDesignGuidelines or during business hours at the Civic Centre in Castlemaine.
Council will also run two sessions at the Maldon Community Centre (subject to COVID-19 restrictions) to further inform residents and land owners about the amendment and the updated guidelines.
Sessions will be from 4.00pm to 7.00pm on Tuesday 7 September and Tuesday 5 October.
To register to attend, contact the Strategic Planning team via email at strategicplanning@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or call 5471 1700.
Submissions close at 5.00pm on Monday 11 October, and must be made in writing via email to strategicplanning@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or by post to Strategic Planning, Mount Alexander Shire Council, PO Box 185, Castlemaine VIC 3450.
Council’s Strategic Planning team will review and consider all submissions received.
If the matters raised in submissions cannot be resolved, Council must appoint an independent planning panel to review and consider the outstanding issues.
