Vol. Vol. 18 18 No. No. 27 28
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Wednesday, Wednesday, January January 13, 20, 2016 2016
TEAM EFFORT: Burnt Creek couple Libby and Russell Peucker will be honoured for their commitment to improving the Horsham South community, on Australia Day. The couple will share Horsham Rural City Council’s Citizen of the Year award for their countless hours of volunteering and leadership. For more on Australia Day awards and activities, see pages 2 and 7. Picture: KELLY LAIRD
l with pecia ht s e n ig o pter fl some Spoil ntic helico ians! a p a rom the Gram ce du ro over p l a c es lo bles Includ plate, bub ! tasting chocolates and
Details, page 14
Bypass plan deferred BY SARAH SCULLY
W
immera residents will have to wait at least six months to learn if VicRoads will proceed with its preferred option for a Horsham bypass or abandon its planning scheme amendment.
VicRoads is acting on recommendations in a report handed down by an independent panel, which will be released to the public today. The organisation wants its preferred alignment, Option D – which runs north-east of the city, through Riverside – to form the basis for a Horsham Planning Scheme amendment to secure land for a Western Highway bypass. VicRoads acting regional director Maree McNeilly said the organisation
IN THIS ISSUE
had decided to defer the amendment until further work was completed. The report follows extensive panel hearings in Horsham in October and November last year. Ms McNeilly said how VicRoads chose to proceed with the amendment depended on the outcome of two plans to be undertaken by Horsham Rural City Council, which were expected to be completed in six months. She said the report recommended the council complete an aerodrome master plan and an integrated transport strategy. VicRoads will address flood modelling concerns raised in the report. “We need to confirm with Wimmera Catchment Management Authority that the modelling we have done is correct, in terms of the one-in-100-
• Opposition leader visits
year floods,” Ms McNeilly said. “We also need to do some very targeted stakeholder consultation, particularly around some mitigation issues for the Riverside community.” Ms McNeilly said once the council and VicRoads had addressed the report’s recommendations, VicRoads would decide whether to seek the Planning Minister’s approval for the amendment or abandon it. “If VicRoads can resolve some of the key issues, we will proceed with the amendment,” she said. “At this stage, VicRoads will work towards finding a resolution for Option D before considering other alignments. To revisit other alignments, further funding would be required. “Our main focus is to complete the work required as soon as possible
so we can provide clarity to affected landowners.” Council technical services director John Martin said the council was already working on a master plan for the aerodrome, along with an integrated transport strategy. “The council recognised work should be done on the aerodrome regardless of the panel’s recommendations, so we’ve already started planning for that,” he said. “We also suggested a regional transport strategy to look at how the region’s other highways – not just the Wimmera Highway – would link up to a bypass. “The panel’s report seems to have picked up on several of the council’s recommendations and concerns. The council was unable to make a decision
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about a preferred alignment because of gaps – or what the planning panel called deficiencies – in the reports.” Mr Martin said he was pleased VicRoads would revisit how Option D would affect flood mitigation. “I think there is a lot of work for all the parties involved to enable a proper assessment to be done,” he said. “The council is keen to do that, and we will be doing a lot of community engagement for both the aerodrome and transport plans.” Horsham Mayor Heather Phillips said she was pleased the panel’s report reflected community views. “It’s better to have the right decision than the wrong one, and right decisions take time,” she said. The panel’s report will be released on www.vicroads.gov.au today.
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