Man Booker honours Beryl

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 | 26-Apr-2011 1pm

Is the Man Booker Prize now trying too hard, reducing the impact of the best-novel announcement with all the "extra" prizes they keep adding?

Or is it a good thing they keep using their strength to improve the reputations of writers and encourage people to go beyond the publisher-pushed best-seller lists?

Last week, the Man Booker announced a special prize for Beryl Bainbridge, who was shortlisted five times for what was then the Booker Prize, but never won.

The Man Booker Best of Beryl was another on-line voting prize, with readers asked to choose which of the five shortlisted novels was Bainbridge's best.

Master George eventually won, "a few votes" ahead of Every Man for Himself, but exactly how many votes were counted isn't revealed.

Bainbridge, an idiosyncratic and prolific writer, died last year. Master George, an economical account of the terrible Crimean War, was shortlisted in the year Ian McEwan's Amsterdam won the Booker.

There's a posthumous Bainbridge novel due to be published in June, to be called The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress.