Give ’em a Heiden

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-Nov-2011 12.25pm

BAHRAIN GAME: Nathan Van Der Heiden is on the world stage.

A former Bendigo table tennis star, Nathan Van Der Heiden, is battling it out right now in Bahrain on the world stage.
Originally from Kerang, Van Der Heiden is competing at the the 2011 World Junior Championships all this week, in the Under 18 division for Australia.
Van Der Heiden started playing the sport against his brother Alex at six years of age, using cake mix boxes as the net on the family kitchen table.
“He wasn’t allowed to play in the junior pennant as he was too young and a little too short, so he had to be happy playing at home,” Van Der Heiden’s uncle John said.
The ping pong prodigy eventually became one of the youngest players to play A Grade pennant in Kerang, and had played in Bendigo for the past five years, but was accepted for a sporting and academic scholarship at Maribyrnong this year.
The move paid off when he was selected in the Victorian Under 18 A team, and represented the state at the Nationals in Sydney in September, where his team won the gold medal.