PLANS for a major extension of the Dennington housing zone will go to an independent umpire after Warrnambool City Council’s proposal attracted 17 submissions, including one from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
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The north Dennington growth area planning scheme amendment will be heard by a planning panel in late March to determine whether concessions should be made for objections.
City growth director Bill Millard said the EPA recommended a 300-metre buffer between housing and the Fonterra waste water treatment plant and 100m from the milk processing factory.
The authority also recommended a 500m buffer from the saleyards.
“It’s unlikely the council view would differ from the EPA,” Mr Millard said.
Fonterra sent a submission expressing concern over the plan’s boundary and land use controls, requesting that its land should not be part of the growth area because it was not suitable for residential development.
In response, the council’s planning department said it was not intending to use Fonterra land for residential development, but to provide a footpath link along the Merri River through the company’s land.
The Catholic diocese of Ballarat lodged an objection on the council’s valuation of land and the compensation offered for a portion to be used for a community hub. Other objections came from private land owners concerned about a proposed loop road along the Merri, valuations and the floodway zone.
A submission from Warr-nambool Affordable Land Developments called for changes in the compulsory contributions plan to allow payments from the broader community so responsibility should not be apportioned to developers alone.