Holidays on the mind

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.”

Steve Kendall | Bendigo Weekly | 13-Jan-2012

As we drag ourselves into 2012, Steve seems to think some are taking advantage of the season of goodwill when it comes to days off

GOODNESS me, what a tough time of year this is.
Not so bad if you are off on your holidays with the boat or caravan, but if for reasons of your job you worked through the break it’s been tricky.
I have been over-keen with my leave in 2011 and am now so in debt I had to work, not a bad thing, I honestly don’t mind working at Christmas ... trying to get things done is the problem.
The whole of Bendigo seems to have closed down.
Is it getting worse? Has it always been this bad at this special time of the year?
The cafés are closed... only a brave few managed to fire up the coffee machines, the streets are empty, nobody answers their phone.
The pollies are on such a long break I am sure they will forget how to do their jobs.
All firms are running on skeleton staff, and those who are in are in holiday mode.
There are still a few
places bereft of workers until Monday.
Thankfully, this Monday just gone the workers started to trudge back in to their offices and other workplaces.
Hollow-eyed from Christmas, and unenthusiastic about the days ahead until the next break on Australia Day.
Please, I hope we don’t all close down again for an extra long weekend.
Believe me, I’m all for holidays, but do we have to have them at the same time?
My fellow raconteur and rabble-rouser columnist Ben Cameron has taken the holiday one step
further.
Following a huge break over Christmas and new year he staggered in with the remains of a party head and attempted to start the new year.
At the best of times he is as much use as a chocolate teapot, but post Christmas he was even worse.
My mother would call it sickening for something.
Turns out she would have been right: he’s decided to go sick this week, extending the break way into the first
month.
His voice has gone he says.
That would be an absolute bonus for the workplace if you ask me.
I can imagine him sitting in his penthouse apartment, a cool pint of cider in one hand.
Probably his laptop with facebook open, tweeting to his heart’s content.
It would go something like this:
“I’m so terribly, terribly ill. Call the nurse.”
Like all men he will be milking the illness.
Of course, while Ben the journo is at home with his nurse and cider, the rest of us have to try to decipher his notes and job list.
On the up side, when he gets back the rest of us can take a well-earned break leaving Ben at the helm.
Should be ready to start the year by February, surely Bendigo will be back to normal by
then.
I think I have a cunning plan. Rather than whingeing on about lack of shops open and short staff, next year I should take leave for a month.
I could hit the open road with my Winnebago, that’s not the long-suffering Mrs Kendall by the way, it’s a type of campervan.
I could go to the beach, I could take the jet ski out on Eppalock.
I suppose I’d have to buy a Winnebago and a jet ski, but I’m looking forward to it already.
By the way Ben, get well soon, you scallywag.