MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to endorse a plan that could see height limits raised in Sorrento’s town centre, despite strong community concerns over heritage and coastal character impacts.
Under new planning rules, buildings would have a two storey, nine metre building height limit fronting Point Nepean Rd, and a three-storey, 12-metre height limit for new development abutting Ocean Beach Rd.
It also proposes new developments have a maximum of two storeys or nine metre buildings at street frontage while any third storey would see a reduced setback from eight to four metres from the street frontage, excluding heritage sites. Additionally, the proposed building rules seek to increase new development heights from 11 metres to 12 metres abutting Morce Ave and side streets within the activity centre.
The proposal, known as Amendment C286morn, was prepared to “implement the recommendations” of council’s adopted Ocean Beach Road Sorrento Built Form Review in May 2024.
Nepean Ward Cr Andrea Allen, who supported the plan, said the amendment sought to apply permanent mandatory building design controls to the Ocean Beach Rd commercial precinct in Sorrento to “protect and enhance the valued character, heritage and amenity of the area”. “This has been a long journey and a lot of work, but we are now at the final stages,” she said.
The shire received 77 community submissions regarding the proposal but as they were unable to be resolved, councillors decided in February to refer all submissions to an independent planning panel which was to be appointed by Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny.
The panel met in May and delivered its report to council in June recommending that it adopt Amendment C286morn, subject to a list of recommended changes – which councillors did, having voting unanimously in support of it at their 23 September council meeting.
The Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny will now decide whether to ultimately approve the amendment.
However, as reported earlier this year by The News, opponents including The Nepean Ratepayers Association Inc had strongly objected to the southeast precinct being included in the 11-metre/three storey height limit and restricted setback (Fight to save township from new building rules not over, The News 19/3/25).
Russell Norton-Old, owner of Rusty’s Café Bar located at the corner of Point Nepean Rd and the Esplanade, has also been against the proposal, saying it would compromise the beauty and historic character of Sorrento’s township.
Cr Allen noted the proposed controls within the revised design and development overlay were “designed to ensure that new development responds appropriately to the low scale, coastal and historical character of the commercial precinct and protects views of reasonable growth to occur in line with the township’s role and function”.
“Council was commended by the panel for its built-form review approach. They noted that the review relied on evidence-based data, predominantly three-dimensional modelling, to better understand the potential impact of new built form on the existing heritage buildings and key vantage form,” she said.
First published in the Mornington News – 30 September 2025
