Fight gains new force
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.”
Bendigo Weekly | Bendigo Weekly | 01-Nov-2012
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WORKING ON A CURE: PhD candidate Rejitha Suraj and Dr Christopher Bradley. Photo: VICKI HARRINGTON
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RECENTLY published research by a team based at La Trobe University Bendigo shows partial success in bringing the fight against cancer one small step closer to success.
Saleh Ihmaid, Jasim Al-Rawi, Christopher Bradley and Michael Angove from the School of Pharmacy and Applied Sciences are testing compounds that may one day be used to improve conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatments by reducing the immunity of cancer cells to such treatments.
“Radiation treatments work by causing breaks in the DNA of tumour cells but tumours cells have ways of repairing the damage caused by conventional treatments,” Dr Bradley said.
“Consequently, very high dosages of radiation therapy and chemotherapy are required, which increases the potential for damage to non-cancerous body tissue.
“We are testing 60 compounds that carry an enzyme known as DNA-PK. This enzyme has previously been identified as key to inhibiting a tumour cell’s ability to repair its DNA.
“Our research is intended to identify the compound that maximises a tumour cell’s sensitivity while exposing patients to the least amount of radiation possible.”
The team is compiling its data in laboratories at the campus.
Samples are grown in the lab and are also collected at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre at the Bendigo Radiotherapy Centre.
The researchers, in association with Murray Robertson, a molecular modelling specialist at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, recently published a series of papers in the European Journal of Chemistry announcing the results of tests of a brace of compounds.
“The four papers have shown that, partially at least, some of the compounds we have tested do increase a cancer cell’s sensitivity and causes them to die with much less radiation,” Dr Bradley said.
“While this research is still many years away from clinical trials with patients, the success of our ongoing tests as well as those by other independent research groups worldwide, are a positive step forward.”
The paper can be viewed at www.elsevier.com/locate/ejmech.
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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