In full control
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.”
Anthony Radford | Bendigo Weekly | 26-Jan-2012
«
AT THE HELM: Craig Niemann should remain.
»
ANY moves to delay the reappointment of City of Greater Bendigo chief executive officer Craig Niemann should be avoided.
There is a vocal part of the community that believes Mr Niemann is responsible for the Hargreaves Mall debacle, the Walk Bendigo fiasco and other public works dramas and should go.
That is a credible argument, and one that should be aired, but it ignores relatively recent changes, and the argument that the buck stops with the councillors themselves.
There is no doubt this council and Mr Niemann inherited some bad projects.
The mall, Walk Bendigo and Mitchell Street were problems not of his management, but ones he has had to try and steer to difficult solutions.
Mr Niemann is a modest and stable CEO, something that is valuable in local government. In recent years other councils have suffered from opposite personality types.
He has had to juggle projects no one really wanted, and the current council couldn’t really fix.
There are some projects council seems to be handling well. Whatever your thoughts about the $15 million multi-storey car park, the project, this time around, has been well handled.
It is on budget and will probably come in under time. That will be a good result for the city and, while being not quite big enough for what the city needs in the future, it will go a long way to easing CBD parking concerns.
While council has been guided by the State Government on matters such as the art gallery redevelopment, Sandhurst Theatre and Bendigo Library, it has managed them better than they have in the past.
On top of that there was a perception, a big one, that council and council staff weren’t listening to the community.
That argument is entirely valid and one Mr Niemann, through recent staff changes, is addressing.
The appointment of Darren Fuzzard (Presentation and Assets) and Pauline Gordon (Community Wellbeing) to senior directors’ roles is a step towards changing the way council listens.
So far, both new directors have thrown out the unconsultative plans for Mitchell Street and the mall playground and started afresh, giving stakeholders and the community an input before any ideas are had or plans are drawn up. This is a new and positive step.
Yes, it is always important to challenge the status quo. Continued improvement comes from continued challenge, and the independent council
review rejected this week would have been a positive
step.
It would have opened council’s operations up to the layperson.
That aside, Mr Niemann has shown he has full control of his senior staff and is working with them to change the way things are done and how projects are handled.
With that in mind, that progression should be allowed
to continue.
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.”
