FAQ

A DPA is a document that proposes changes to a local Development Plan. A Development Plan contains the zones, maps and explicit rules that guide what can and cannot be done in the future with any piece of land within the area covered by the Plan. These zones, maps and policies provide the detailed criteria against which future development applications are assessed. If this DPA is adopted, the policy changes proposed will be made to the Council’s Development Plan.

View the guide to Development Plan Amendments for a brief summary of the DPA process.

In summary, the Better Development Plan (BDP) and General Development Plan Amendment (DPA) is designed to ensure Development Plans throughout SA:

• Have state-wide consistency in structure, presentation and use clear, plain English wording, also eliminating repetition

• Are generally consistent in policy content across the state, but can readily cater for significant local circumstances

• Promote Desired Character Statements to guide development and provide clear context and vision as to the policy direction

• Address only development matters that require approval under the Development Act 1993

• Align with the State Planning Strategy.

The Better Development Plan and General DPA project is intended to provide a set of standardised ’leading practice’ Development Plan policies that deal with common issues experienced by most SA councils.

Many South Australian councils have either completed or are in the process of undertaking the Better Development Plan conversion in some way, either fully converting Development Plans, by initiating a Better Development Plan DPA or, using the Better Development Plan library and templates when conducting a specific DPA. 

It is intended that a new Better Development Plan format for Council’s Development Plan will improve the legibility of the Victor Harbor Development Plan. It is likely to result in efficiencies when conducting future DPAs as the new format has been endorsed by Government agencies. It will also ensure Council is prepared for the implementation of the pending Development Code (expected within the next five years).

A summary of the proposed policy changes are provided below (extract from Better Development Plan and General DPA – Explanatory Statement and Analysis).

The DPA proposes to replace Council’s existing Development Plan with a new, reformatted Development Plan incorporating relevant modules of the South Australian Planning Policy Library. This specifically involves:

• replacement of the existing Council Wide policies with those of the General Modules from the SA Planning Policy Library.

• replacement and consolidation of the 28 existing zones and 24 Policy Areas, into 16 new Zones and  31 Policy Areas (including 5 precincts)

• introduction and/or refinement of Desired Character Statements for all zones and policy areas. These have been adapted from existing explanatory text, objectives and principles of development control

• introduction of local addition text, which is represented in green. This text is additional to the core policy of the module and specific to the City of Victor Harbor council area

• removal of policy duplication through the consolidation and relocation of some policies into the General section where it relates to more than one zone.

• updating of non-complying lists within zones to prevent undesirable land uses, update terminology and land use references that are dated or unlikely to occur

• removal of references within zones that repeat or contradict Schedule 9 of the Development Regulations as they relate to public notification

• updating of Tables within the Development Plan, including consolidation of the 7 existing tables into 5 new tables.

• removal of duplicated, outdated and/or superfluous Figures and Concept Plans

• introduction of new coloured zoning and spatial information mapping

• conversion of Figures and Concept Plans into coloured versions and consolidated and rationalised where possible.

In addition, the following changes are also proposed as part of the conversion process:

• consolidation of the four existing Rural Living Zones into a single Zone, with individual policy areas provided to reflect subtle policy differences between these areas.

• consolidation of the existing General Farming Zone and South Mt Lofty Primary Production Area into a single zone – The Primary Production (Mount Lofty Ranges) Zone.

• minor zone boundary changes to align zones with property boundaries or correct anomalies and reflect land uses established on the ground. This relates to:

• the Residential Zone and Residential (Town Centre) Policy Area 22 boundaries being extended to incorporate longstanding residential land uses existing within Kullaroo Road and Almond Avenue, Victor Harbor.

• The Residential Zone and Residential (Encounter Bay) Policy Area 13 boundaries being extended to incorporate the existing residential property at 132 (Lot 348) Jagger Road, Encounter Bay.

•  the Open Space Zone boundary being expanded to include all of the Investigator College Campus situated at Lot 100 Inman Valley Road, Encounter Bay.

• 2A-2D Jasmin Drive is proposed to be soley sited within the Residential Zone (Residential (Encounter Bay) Policy Area 1).  Currently, a northern portion of each of these allotments are sited within the Recreation Zone.

More detailed information is available in the documents below:

• Better Development Plan (BDP) and General Development Plan Amendment (DPA) – Explanatory Statement and Analysis This document provides detail of the investigations, analysis and justification for the BDP conversion.  The black font is the standard BDP core text, the green font highlights the Council’s specific ‘local additions’ or policy requesting to be included and retained.  The red text provides some explanatory notes and justification.

• Better Development Plan (BDP) and General Development Plan Amendment (DPA) – The Amendment for Consultation This document is the Council’s revised Development Plan proposed to be considered and adopted as the new version. Similarly, the black font is the standard BDP core text and the green font highlights the Council’s specific ‘local additions’ or policy requesting to be converted over from the previous Development Plan, included and retained. 
  

Written submissions should be addressed to the City of Victor Harbor’s Chief Executive Officer and returned by:

• Post:   PO Box 11, Victor Harbor SA 5211

• Email:  localgov@victor.sa.gov.au

• Online:  complete the online form at www.yoursay.victor.sa.gov.au/bdp

• In person:  return to the City of Victor Harbor Civic Centre (1 Bay Road, Victor Harbor).

The public have until 5pm on Tuesday, 9 August to make a written submission.