The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) has awarded Warrnambool City Council $110,000 to plan a new residential precinct east of Aberline Road.

The framework plan will guide the development of 365 hectares of land and identify infrastructure to support Warrnambool’s growth.

Council’s director of city growth Andrew Paton said the funding would bring forward important strategic planning for the urban growth corridor in Warrnambool.

“As the regional centre of the Great South Coast region, this initiative is another important piece of strategic planning that will ensure the growth of our city is planned in a sustainable way to meet the future needs of both existing and new residents,” he said.

The project aims to increase overall supply in Warrnambool and help the city’s housing affordability.

“The structure plan lays out a long-term vision for what the precinct may look like,” Mr Paton said.

“In the last decade we have created more than 25 years of land supply in Warrnambool.” 

He said the structure planning was a two to five-year process.

The funding boost comes from the state government’s Streamlining for Growth program, which provides grants to councils for planning projects that will result in new affordable housing, jobs and infrastructure.