Better use ahead
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
Rosemary Sorensen | Bendigo Weekly | 17-Aug-2012
WITH water again being released out of an almost-full Lake Eppalock, Goulburn-Murray Water is in the happy position of hosing down expectations for future recreational development.
“We’re seeing from the general feedback that there is a lot of pleasure out of the lake, and people are very happy there is water in it now,” GMW Land and On-Water manager David Jackson said this week.
“It’s really good that people have seen Lake Eppalock in drought, so we’re able to have those discussions about how to cope when it’s back in drought, what sort of facilities we should aim to build that could accommodate the situation of no water.”
Mr Jackson is overseeing the development of long-term plans for recreational use of the region’s water storage facilities, including Eppalock and Cairn Curran Reservoir.
In January this year, they began consultations with the community, visitors and authorities, as the first step in planning for better use of the sites.
At that time, he said a first draft will take six to 12 months, when it will be released for public scrutiny and comment.
“We (GMW) store and move water, so whatever we do with recreation must not conflict with that core business,” Mr Jackson said.
“Through the consultations and discussions we’re saying, look at the vision, and then we need to talk about funding.
“We want to show the community what we can and can’t achieve.”
The plan will address problems such as the closure of a boat repair business which used to operate at Lake Eppalock, and also the loss of a hotel at the site.
Boat ramps and other recreational and tourist facilities are also part of the “vision” document.
“The draft will be a precis of everyone’s thoughts, and it’s a big process, so we want to make sure everyone can see what they’ve said has been incorporated into it,” Mr Jackson said.
“Then, what we can say is, ok shire, you have a stake in this. You want to create tourism, so maybe you could help with maintenance, to spread the dollar load around.”
Mr Jackson said people can keep up to date with the plan via the newsletter which GMW release on their website and sends out each month.
“It’s taking a long time to write, but we’re hoping to have the draft (for Lake Eppalock) completed before Christmas,” he said.
“But I didn’t say what year!”
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
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