Review called on growth

Bendigo Weekly | Bendigo Weekly | 10-Feb-2012

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GROWTH: Damian Drum and council Planning and Development director Prue Mansfield. Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN
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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.
 Released in 2004, the strategy claimed the city’s population would hit 130,000 by 2030.
However, 40 per cent of that predicted growth has already happened, with the 2030 population tipped to be between 145,000 and 167,000.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this week.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position the City of Greater Bendigo council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Council Planning and Development director Prue Mansfield said growth had been rapid.
She said the population had grown 1.6 per cent a year for the past five years, and the number of dwellings had increased 1.8 per cent.
“There is a sense that the population is growing faster than the official figures,” she said.
“It is not just about population, but about way in which people live.
“Single and two-people households have increased, as have the number of young adults.
“These are all things that will need to be investigated.”
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