Still no clean-up
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 | 17-Aug-2012
By Rosemary Sorensen
this week, the only response from the State Government to the continuing delay in remediation of the toxic sands on the western edge of Bendigo was this:
“The Minister is confident the process is well under way and works will begin in spring.”
It is now more than three and a half years since toxic sands were exposed by the ferocious Black Saturday fires, in February 2009, in the regional park between Eaglehawk and west Bendigo.
It is more than a year since the community was told it would be “about six weeks” before work started.
It is more than five months since Parks Victoria’s ranger in charge David Major told the Bendigo Weekly: “Clearly it has taken much longer than we all expected, but we are hopeful the audit process will be complete very shortly”.
This week, no one was willing to say why the start of remediation is delayed, or to accept responsibility for that delay.
Mr Major said he cannot comment and would ask “someone” for information.
The Environmental Protection Authority also washed its hands of responsibility.
“Parks Victoria engaged an independent auditor to assess the level of risk the site posed to the environment (including human health), the extent of contamination and what the recommended clean up approach should be,” a spokesperson said.
“An auditor is appointed under the Environmental Protection Act 1970. EPA holds the auditor accountable by reviewing their reports and making sure they have followed EPA guidelines.
“EPA does not approve or change their findings.”
Back in March, Mr Major said the “endorsement of the clean-up plan is seen as a formality in the process as it has been previously been reviewed and commented on by the EPA.”
In June last year, Parks Victoria’s Glenn Mawson told a public meeting “We’re already ahead of the game”.
The plan, outlined at that time, is to reduce the area of contaminated sands from four hectares to 1.5.
That area will then be covered with compacted material, loose material and a layer of topsoil, and revegetated with grasses.
While the tendering process for the work is apparently awaiting a sign-off on the audit which was supposed to be a “formality”, in the meantime Bendigo has had several high rainfall events, causing minor flooding in some areas.
No report has been released, however, on whether these events affected the “hydro-mulch” covering put in place as a temporary measure to stabilise the toxic sands.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Ryan Smith was asked this week the reason for yet another delay on a clean-up which has been promised for so long.
His spokesperson issued that one-line statement expressing “confidence” that work will begin in spring.
The Weekly asked, again, on Wednesday why there was a further delay. By late yesterday, Minister Smith’s office had not responded.
For Henry Ott, whose shot nerves and sleepless nights brought to public attention the plight of those residents who live right next to the toxic sands,
it is one more slap in the face.
This week, Mr Ott said, “They won’t tell us what is happening.
“I just want it to end.”
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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