Planning big for the blues
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.”
Ben Cameron | Bendigo Weekly | 24-Nov-2011 4.56pm
This weekend’s festival is an example of what can be done if you aim for the stars
Always plan big.
And why not? If you’re going to the effort of dreaming up elaborate schemes, you may as well make ‘em big ‘uns.
In life we’re always planning, whether it’s on having 2.5 children, a marriage and a mortgage, to one day ordering a meal in French to impress the ladies, or to simply smile more.
As one famous dreamer said: “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans”.
And let’s face it, apart from taste in women, John Lennon was rarely wrong.
Luckily for us, a small-but-inspired group of locals have been planning for some time now.
And most importantly, they’ve been planning big. Real big.
But more on that in a minute.
We’re often told it’s the little things in life that are most important, like remember wedding anniversaries, or clipping excess nose hair, but sometimes it’s the big things that take precedence.
The big things in life shape you as a person, and equally, the big things can help put the city you love, loudly and proudly on the map.
Here in Bendigo, events like The White Wedding Dress, Groovin The Moo and the Goldfields Snooker Open, have helped put the capital B in Bendigo.
Just as importantly, these events put a spring in your step, make you proud to call yourself a Bendigonian.
And another big event is upon us, the Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival, and its timing is pitch perfect.
Until recently, the Bendigo music scene had been reported, quite frankly, to have died in the arse.
Which was utter crap. Music has been and always will be a powerful force in this city. It simply wasn’t being played in pubs enough, for far too long.
So the Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival, alongside other events such as Gigfest, have put the spring back into your dyed-in-the-wool Bendigo music lovers’ step. It’s got them “peacocking” again.
With all due respect to lovers and curators of centuries old dresses, the BB&RMF could eventually create an even bigger buzz than the wildly successful White Wedding Dress.
I mean, the White Wedding Dress didn’t exactly cater to all tastes; it’s hardly been a case of this round my cricket club:
“What are you up to
after the game this weekend, Knackers?”
“Well I thought I might pop down to The Capital and take in some wedding dresses.”
“Sounds lovely, mind if I join you?”
Not to mention the words wedding and dress usually strike fear in the hearts of your average red-blooded Aussie male, but just about everybody likes music, don’t
they?
Not to mention the BB&RMF will be held smack bang in the middle of Rosalind Park, most of the musicians are either local favourites or world-renowned performers, and, most importantly for those who wouldn’t shout if a shark bit them, it’s free.
Equally, it doesn’t just cater to the hipsters, but for families too.
The BB&RMF has been a special one for the Bendigo Weekly, and so we’ve been privy to the big plans of a bunch of people, the festival organisers, who have devoted their precious time to the cause.
So if you’ve got a free couple of hours this weekend, pop into Rosalind Park and see the results of what can be achieved when a heap of people have a crack.
You never know, it might just inspire you to Plan Big one day too.
• PlanBig.com.au was designed by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank as a place where anyone with a plan, a project, an
idea or a dream can connect with other people to find the resources, expertise and support to bring their plan to reality.
Plan Big was instrumental in getting The Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival off the ground.
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.”
Comment