Vol. 19 No. 19
FREE PUBLICATION
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Australian Editorial Award 2016
DRAMA AND SONG: Horsham Arts Council performers, clockwise from bottom left, Natasha Eilola, Liam Robertson, Shona Finn, Brady King, Leon Burns, Rebecca Baker and Alex Ford are pictured during a dramatic moment during the production of The Wedding Singer in Horsham Town Hall. The Wedding Singer wowed audiences during an eight-show series. Story, page 11. Picture: Kc photography
Decision time A
BY DEAN LAWSON
final decision on a Western Highway bypass of Horsham is in the hands of Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne.
VicRoads has written to the minister seeking approval for a north-east highway bypass, also known as Option D, to be included in a Horsham Planning Scheme. A ministerial tick of approval will mean the introduction of a Public Acquisition Overlay to the planning scheme, which will reserve land for a future bypass. Based on usual response times, VicRoads expects to know Mr Wynne’s response within three to six weeks. It will update the community after an Department of Environment,
IN THIS ISSUE
Land, Water and Planning assessment and the minister provides advice on his decision. Vicroads Regional Director Ewen Nevett said after ‘an exhaustive’ eight years of planning, it was time for a decision. “We are seeking to resolve the amendment to create certainty for property owners and the local community,” he said. “We commissioned an independent review of recommendations in a Planning Panels Victoria report as part of the process, along with new information provided by Horsham Rural City Council and other stakeholders.” He said the review recommended the amendment proceed without further delay.
“It is on this basis we have updated the prepared documents to submit Amendment C72 for approval advocating Option D,” he said. “This option is to the east and north of Horsham crossing the Wimmera River, Henty Highway and AdelaideMelbourne railway line. “Option D remains a suitable bypass alignment for the township of Horsham.” Bypass planning and proposed routes for the bypass have generated intense debate and polarised public opinion in Horsham district since 2008. The concept was based on mitigating the impact of high levels of highway traffic, in particular heavy vehicles, that navigate through Horsham. VicRoads has considered a vari-
ety of route options and ultimately isolated a north-east option D as its preferred route. A panel hearing in October last year, designed to give people an opportunity to have their say on the proposed alignment, attracted 87 submissions. The independent panel, appointed by the Planning Minister, recommended in its report to defer planning scheme changes to allow for a bypass until completion of further research and planning. The work included waiting for the release of a draft Horsham Integrated Transport Strategy and an Aerodrome Master Plan as well as discussions surrounding flood modelling and other issues. Continued page 3
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