The changes are significant and represent a major shift in planning philosophy for the Primary Production zone. Electricity generating works will be permitted with consent ie., Solar Farms, Wind Turbines and Battery Storage.
The Proposed RU1 zone represents a more prescriptive and protective planning framework. It aims to:
1. Allow Electricity generating works with consent.
2. Prevent urbanisation and fragmentation by prohibiting a wide range of commercial, industrial, and standalone tourism uses.
3. Actively shape rural economic diversification towards on-farm value adding (`Artisan food industries`), direct sales (`Markets`, `Cellar door`), and farm-linked tourism (`Agritourism`).
4. Strengthen landscape and character protection as a core objective.
Stakeholders (farmers, rural businesses, tourism operators, residents) would need to carefully review these changes, as they significantly alter what can and cannot be done on land currently zoned RU1. Uses like existing caravan parks or B&Bs may become prohibited uses if redeveloped.
Summary of Impacts
| Aspect | Current RU1 | Proposed RU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Core Purpose | Primary production, with some supporting tourism. | Diversified primary production + agritourism. Tourism must be linked to the farm. |
| Dev. Control | Lighter touch for forestry, viticulture, roads. | Tighter control. More uses need consent, giving council more oversight. |
| Tourism Model | B&Bs, caravan parks, cafes allowed. | Agritourism focused. Traditional tourist accommodation/commerce is prohibited. |
| Rural Character | Implied protection from conflict. | Explicitly protected via a new objective and a long prohibited list. |
| Housing | Dwellings and dual occupancies allowed (with consent). | Largely unchanged, but with added options for rural workers’ and secondary dwellings. |
| Home Businesses | Allowed with consent. | Promoted by being made permitted without consent. |
Here is a summary of the key changes, structured to highlight their implications.
Overall Shift in Philosophy
* Current: Focused on primary production with limited, low-impact tourism and rural living.
* Proposed: Expands to actively encourage agritourism and a wider range of small-scale rural enterprises, while tightening restrictions on uses considered incompatible with the new vision (like large-scale tourism or urban-style development).
Notable Practical Implications
– Tourism: Current RU1 allows eco-tourist facilities, farm stay, backpackers’, camping, caravan parks, B&B, cellar door with consent. Proposed RU1 allows agritourism, tourist & visitor accommodation, camping grounds, eco-tourist facilities with consent, but prohibits backpackers’, caravan parks, B&B (unless ‘tourist & visitor accommodation’ covers B&B – likely not, as B&B is a specific use elsewhere). This suggests a shift away from budget/large-scale tourism toward smaller-scale, farm-integrated agritourism.
– Residential: Current RU1 allows dwelling houses and dual occupancies with consent. Proposed adds secondary dwellings and rural workers’ dwellings with consent, but prohibits all other ‘residential accommodation’ (which would include multi-dwelling housing, residential flat buildings, etc.).
– Commercial: Current RU1 allows restaurants/cafes, kiosks, roadside stalls, function centres with consent. Proposed allows roadside stalls, function centres, markets, but prohibits restaurants/cafes, kiosks, shops, commercial premises. This significantly limits retail/food service.
– Heavy industry: Both zones prohibit heavy industry (explicitly in proposed; via default in current). Current allows extractive industries, open cut mining with consent; proposed retains that.
– Forestry & horticulture: Downgraded from ‘permitted without consent’ to ‘with consent’, giving council more control.
Overall Planning Direction
The proposed RU1 zone is more restrictive on non-primary-production uses, especially commercial tourism, retail, and residential development. It seeks to protect rural landscape character and channel tourism through ‘agritourism’ tied directly to primary production capability, rather than standalone visitor accommodation or eateries.
Major Changes & Their Implications
1. Drastic Reduction in “Permitted Without Consent”
* Current: Includes `Extensive agriculture; Forestry; Roads; Viticulture.’
* Proposed: Only `Environmental protection works; Extensive agriculture; Home businesses; Home occupations`.
* Implication: Forestry and Viticulture now require development consent, giving the planning authority greater control over these activities. This could be to manage environmental impacts or landscape character.
2. Significant Expansion of “Permitted with Consent”
The proposed list is much longer and introduces many new uses, reflecting the diversified rural economy vision:
* New Agritourism & Rural Enterprise Focus: `Agritourism; Artisan food and drink industries; Markets; Plant nurseries; Rural supplies.’
* Expanded Tourist Accommodation: `Tourist and visitor accommodation` is now a broad category (replacing specific types like B&Bs).
* New Infrastructure & Services: `Electricity generating works; Sewerage systems; Water supply systems; Telecommunications facilities; Depots; Transport depots`.
* Additional Rural Uses: `Rural workers’ dwellings; Secondary dwellings; Research stations`.
* New Community & Recreation: `Recreation facilities (major); Places of public worship; Respite day care centres`.
Notable Re-categorisations:
* `Dwelling houses` and `Dual occupancies` remain permissible with consent.
* `Home businesses` moved from “with consent” to “without consent”, encouraging small home-based enterprises.
* `Roads` moved from “without consent” to “with consent”, implying greater scrutiny of new road construction.
3. Dramatic Expansion of the “Prohibited” List
This is the most striking change. The proposed zone prohibits a wide array of uses that are currently permissible with consent, fundamentally changing the zone’s character:
* Tourism & Accommodation: `Backpackers’ accommodation; Bed and breakfast accommodation; Caravan parks; Hotel or motel accommodation; Restaurants or cafes` are now prohibited. This suggests a move away from standalone tourism towards tourism that is directly complementary to primary production (Agritourism).
* Commercial & Retail: `Kiosks; Neighbourhood shops; Shops; Commercial premises` are now prohibited, preventing commercial sprawl.
* Industrial: Many industrial and storage uses are now explicitly prohibited (`Warehouse or distribution centres; Freight transport facilities; Storage premises`), protecting the zone from large-scale industrial intrusion.
* Specific Bans: `Airports; Brothels; Sex services premises; Correctional centres` are now explicitly listed as prohibited.
4. Changes to Objectives
* Revised Tourism Objective: The objective changes from encouraging “eco-tourism enterprises that minimise adverse effects”to “provide for small-scale and complementary rural tourism in association with the primary industry capability of the land.” This is more restrictive and ties tourism directly to farming.
* New Objective: “To maintain the rural landscape character of the land.” This new objective supports the prohibitions on urban-style development.