The proposed heritage controls are planned for 10 precincts and 76 properties and places throughout the shire.

The 12 objections were among 19 submissions the council received to the planned heritage controls.

Other submissions pointed out errors in the five-year heritage study on which the heritage overlays were based or that the heritage overlays would interfere with the rights of the landowners.

The heritage overlays are part of a planning scheme amendment that calls for the shire to introduce a local planning policy on heritage and apply overlays to 10 heritage precincts and 76 individual places in the shire. 

The council decided to refer all submissions to an independent panel to be set up by state planning minister Matthew Guy. It also decided to extend the public exhibition process to give landowners more time to lodge submissions. 

The heritage precincts proposed in the overlays include:

. the central commercial areas of Cobden, Derrinallum, Terang and Skipton; 

. Lismore early township precinct in Ferrers and High streets;

. Noorat township precinct within the boundaries of Terang-Mortlake Road, Glenormiston Road, Mackinnons Bridge Road and Factory Lane;

. Pomborneit north township precinct, within the boundaries of the Princes Highway, Foxhow-Pomborneit Road and Rands Road;

. Lyons Street, Terang precinct that includes Lyons and Baynes streets;

. Thomson Street, Terang, precinct;

. Bradshaws Hill, Terang, residential precinct, including Warrnambool Road, Seymour Street and Tobin Street.

Individual heritage places in the proposed heritage overlays include the former Berrybank State School, Heytesbury House in Cobden, Boggy Creek Pub, Glenormiston Cheese and Butter Factory, the rocket shed in Port Campbell and Terang racecourse reserve. 

In his report to the council’s recent meeting, the shire’s planning and building services manager Greg Hayes said council officers had been able to clarify some of the issues raised in some of the submissions received to date and had recommended some modifications to be put to the planning panel. 

“It is very likely that further refinement will occur through the panel process,” Mr Hayes said. 

He said the council would await the recommendations of the independent planning panel before making any final decision on the submissions and the amendment later this year. 

The panel hearing is expected to be held by June. 

Corangamite mayor Chris O’Connor said the aim of the heritage study was to protect the shire’s culturally significant places for present and future generations.

“The final 76 individual places and 10 precincts reflect a heritage that we really need to see valued and protected in our shire,” Cr O’Connor said.