Express MIDLAND
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2026
www.midlandexpress.com.au
Central Victoria
Property&Placee INSIDE TODAY
Spring Edition
INSIDE
BURGLERY LEAVES BUILDERS REELING Angela Crawford A Kyneton building company has been dealt a devastating blow after thieves twice raided its factory, making off with up to $90,000 worth of tools. Impact Build managing director Luke Said said the theft had left the company’s team feeling “defeated”, with the stolen equipment including tools belonging to two employees. The company’s Regent Place factory was first burgled between 7.20pm and 8.40pm on August 22, before thieves returned on August 24 between 2.20am and 3.40am. Project manager Hayden Castle arrived at the factory about 7.15am on August 24 and called Mr Said straight away. “He said, ‘Don’t panic but the whole factory’s been broken into’,” Mr Said said. Continued page 4
Managing director Luke Said, project manager Hayden Castle, carpenters Callum Stone and Alex Ott, and apprentice Otto Thek.
Lancefield town plan deferred Amy Hume
it was introduced several years ago. The overlay requires all landholders in an area to agree on a single development plan before anyone can build. Landholders are also expected to pay for the plan, along with any reports required, and a myriad of other extras. PLAN ENTICING? MRSC's director of planning and environment, Rebecca Stockfeld, had recommended the council endorse an application to the DTP to prepare a structure plan for Lancefield. "A structure plan process was determined to be the only planning mechanism through which an alternative to DPO24 could be considered," Ms Stockfeld said.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has voted to defer discussion on a town structure plan for Lancefield until April next year. The Department of Transport and Planning had offered support towards the plan as one of two options to resolve the lingering Development Plan Overlay Schedule 24. The other option was to review and simplify DPO24 – but not to remove it, despite heavy council and community campaigns to do so. DPO24 intended to create coordinated development of three areas in the town but has instead hindered land freedom and development for 27 landholders since
A town structure plan is a long-term strategic blueprint that guides how a specific town or township will grow, develop and change. It would allow for a review of current zones and overlays such as DPO24. However, Ms Stockfeld said there was no guarantee that DPO24 would removed or altered. A review may conclude that current planning provisions remain appropriate. "Resolution of the DPO24 issue may get lost in a broader review of the township or be delayed as the Lancefield structure plan may need to address many other issues," she said. "It may not remove the DPO24 or
result in recommendations to modify DPO24, and therefore not resolve the community's concerns that infrastructure and open space costs are too high and the DPO24 Schedule is too onerous." Potential challenges highlighted in Ms Stockfeld’s report included changes to the settlement boundary to grow Lancefield to a district town, pressure for rezoning growth area before infrastructure is available and increased land speculation. Ms Stockfeld said council officers “have been wary of undertaking a new structure plan for Lancefield” given the town has protected settlement boundaries and is not experiencing a high growth demand. Continued page 2
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