Council
5 December, 2025
Back to drawing board for Skipton plan
THE Skipton Structure Plan will return to the drawing board after Corangamite Shire councillors moved to withdraw a planning scheme amendment request.
Authorisation was initially sought on January 28, with Planning Scheme Amendment C64cora put before Victorian Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny.
The amendment identified a Commercial One Zone (C1Z) and a Neighbourhood Residential Zone (NRZ) on the eastern boundary of Skipton, which was then put on hold pending more information from council to justify the growth area.
Councillor Geraldine Conheady said rescoping the structure plan was the most logical way forward for Skipton.
“The proposed structure plan has been in the public zone for a little while now,” she said.
“I’ve seen within our notes council has been engaging with DTP (Department of Transport and Planning) over a period of time to provide more information to them to justify the proposed C1Z and NRZ growth area on the eastern boundary of the town that we had hoped to be incorporated into the structure plan.
“The DTP are not prepared to accept that proposal, so obviously we need to work with them over the next several months and come up with a design that’s going to be acceptable to DTP and also of value to Skipton and the Skipton community.”
Council will work with DTP as well as the Regional Planning Hub to rescope the plan, which will likely require a new document to be created.
The structure plan will change focus towards flood impacts, social and economic implications of flooding and possible mitigation options.
Councillor Nick Cole said Skipton is a “great place” to visit and live despite the flood risks.
“Unfortunately, it gets flooded occasionally, and the new plan for the town is to keep as much away from the flooding area as possible – the flood happens, and then two or three days later they can hose it away and start again when the flood goes down,” he said.
“That way it only interrupts the flow of the town for those few days and then it gets back to where it was.
“I hope and aim for this to happen.
“Most of the new structures in Skipton are going well above the flood zone.
“If they get flooded out there, heaven help a lot of other people around the district as well.”
The motion was carried unanimously.