Sunny outlook for solar power
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 | 04-Oct-2012
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BRIGHT IDEA: Walkers on Sunday’s march
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BENDIGONIANS got behind Australia’s first solar thermal power station by joining the Walk for Solar on Sunday.
The walk started at Senator Bridget McKenzie’s office and ended at Federal Member for Bendigo, Steve Gibbon’s office.
Walks for SOALRdarity were organised by the 100 per cent Renewable Energy campaign and supported in Bendigo by the Bendigo Sustainability Group.
The walk was timed to coincide with the end of a 300 kilometre walk from Port Augusta in South Australia to Adelaide where dozens of people had walked day and night to show their support for replacing two polluting power stations in Port Augusta with clean safe solar.
Greater Bendigo council candidate and environmentalist Karen Corr welcomed the walkers and spoke in support of repowering Port Augusta and ultimately Bendigo with renewable energy.
“Time and time again the people of Bendigo have shown they love solar,” she said.
Bendigo march organiser Colin Lambie said solar was taking off in Bendigo.
“But there’s so much more potential, and we need to be building big solar plants that can replace our coal power stations as well as solar on people’s roofs,” he said.
“In Port Augusta the local community is dealing with significant health impacts caused by two dirty polluting power stations on their doorstep.
“This is causing double the average cancer rates in the local town. But there is also a big opportunity to replace these coal plants with solar.
That’s why the people of Bendigo joined with hundreds of others to organize SOLARdarity walks around the country, in support of the people of Port Augusta and the South Australian walk. “
Mr Lambie said he wanted local politicians to get behind the plan to replace coal power stations.
“We delivered a letter calling on Steve Gibbons to support the building of Australia’s first solar thermal power station. It’s time we got on with it,” he said.
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.”
