Toxic sands report to be released

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 | 15-Oct-2012

Henry Ott, resident

Parks Victoria will release documentation on the clean-up plans for the toxic sands in West Bendigo this week.

Following the call for the release of the test and audit documents, reported in the Bendigo Weekly on Friday, Parks Victoria has told the residents who live near Liddell's Calcine Sands they will deliver them in Bendigo on Thursday.

"23 reports will come through to us, personally delivered by (ranger) David Major and (regional manager) Kate Millar," spokesman for the residents' group Paul Epworth said.

"I'm really hoping this is a chance for us to see them and go through them.

"They (Parks Victoria) said management wants to see full transparency now."

Last week, Ms Millar wrote to the Bendigo Weekly to say the process had complied with the Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

A letter to residents also said no test results would be released prior to a meeting with residents, and Parks Victoria has repeatedly refused to release the results of tests made at the site by Parsons Brinckerhoff, and the subsequent report which was the subject of a lengthy audit process.

New concerns about the clean-up of the sands exposed by the February 2009 bushfires were raised earlier this month when Andrew Helps of Hg Mercury Recovery tested properties just outside the regional park.

Mr Helps claims the hydromulching process, put in place to stabilise the sands until remediation work started, has added to the toxicity through "off-gassing" of mercury into the atmosphere.