A Roadmap for Securing the State’s Extractive Resources Supply
We are planning ahead now to ensure that quarry materials can continue to be sourced close to where they will be used, so across Victoria we can affordably build homes and infrastructure.
That is why the Helping Victoria Grow: Extractive Resources Strategy includes key actions to update mapping and planning provisions to better define areas with potential for quarrying and secure them in the planning system.
A key driver for the project relates to the need to understand and best resolve land use planning pressures. These have arisen as a result of Victoria’s growth and related competition for land. This is particularly the case where new urban areas are being built and planned across existing Extractive Industry Interest Areas (EIIAs).
Pilot provides direction
Priority actions in the Strategy are progressing well. This includes piloting Strategic Extractive Resource Area (SERAs) in two locations and stocktakes of existing EIIAs.
Following an engagement period for the proposed SERAs in Wyndham and South Gippsland from May to July 2020, the government’s planning and resources policy teams have been working through the range of issues and views raised in public submissions. We expect to hear from the Minister for Planning on the next steps for the Pilot SERAs implementation in the new year.
Next steps for an expanded program of SERAs and refreshed EIIAs
The Strategic Extractive Resource Roadmap aims to bring together the best available information to develop a coordinated approach to implement the next phase of these strategic extractive resource planning initiatives.
In the future EIIAs and SERAs will play a role in identifying and securing strategic extractive resources in the Victorian planning system. EIIAs will continue to provide a broader strategic marker and SERAs a higher level of planning visibility but on a smaller scale and with stronger planning protections.
The following work is informing the development of the roadmap to guide the SERA program rollout and priorities for refreshing the EIIAs:
• geoscience and land use planning investigations
• market supply and demand assessments and
• engagement with councils, industry and other stakeholders.
As part of the Roadmap development process, 17 virtual workshops and information sessions have been held with local government, other Victorian Government agencies and industry. An interactive online engagement tool has been used to record feedback spatially and to help identify challenges and opportunities.
Thank you to everyone who has had input into these projects so far, particularly those who made time to attend our information sessions or put in a submission to the SERA pilot project.
We look forward to working with CMPA members in the new year to help the Victorian Government secure the raw materials that will help Victoria grow.
New Newsletter
We have established a newsletter to keep you informed on projects being delivered under the Extractive Resources Strategy.
If you would like to subscribe, please visit: earthresources.vic.gov.au/extractivesstrategy or email extractives.enquries@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Thanks for your hard work and diligence over 2020, here’s to a great 2021.
John Krbaleski
Chair of Extractives Strategy Taskforce
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