HILLTOPS 2040 HILLTOPS COUNCIL Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) 2020 - 2040 Setting the way for Strategic Land Use and Infrastructure Planning in Hilltops ENQUIRIES For further information about Hilltops 2040 contact Hilltops Council at: Phone: 1300 HILLTOPS (1300 445 586) Email: [email protected] Website: www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au PUBLISHED BY Hilltops Council Date: June 2020 | 2 | Hilltops 2040 Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) The Hilltops Council acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters of the Hilltops, the people of the Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal nations, and show our respect to elders past, present and emerging. Hilltops 2040 Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) | 3 | | 4 | Hilltops 2040 Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR - MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL BRIAN INGRAM MANAGER - ANTHONY O’REILLY The development of Hilltops 2040 with local Hilltops 2040 is now the benchmark for strategic land communities is a significant step forward in giving use and infrastructure planning and management in greater certainty for residents and businesses well into Hilltops. Thanks to the input of local residents and the future. With Hilltops 2040 Hilltops Council can now businesses Hilltops 2040 reflects and responds to local progress reviewing their land use and infrastructure needs and aspirations and outlines how they will be plans, regulations and guidelines to ensure they align achieved. with the objectives set within Hilltops 2040. The document provides the strategic direction required Consultation on the development of Hilltops 2040 while providing flexibility on approach, allowing culminated in the release of the draft Hilltops 2040 for communities and Council to continue to work together consultation in April – May 2020. This followed various to develop land use and infrastructure planning workshops and meetings on the material used to outcomes that suit local needs. Also, the capacity to inform the strategy, including consultation on Rural respond effectively to unprecedented change while and Residential Lands, Freight and Transport and having confidence that long term goals and aspirations Economic Lands studies undertaken in 2018 and 2019. remain clear and committed. The feedback provided from these conversations can This is the first integrated land use and infrastructure now be seen in the finalisedHilltops 2040. strategy for the whole of Hilltops, identifying its place Hilltops 2040 sets the position of Hilltops within the in the region and what is required to protect and region and New South Wales and our needs and enhance the lifestyles many Hilltops residents enjoy. expectations from State and Commonwealth This includes the importance of stronger transport and governments to see Hilltops communities successful, communications links to regional and metropolitan productive and continuing to be great places to live in centres and national and global markets. Also, the need well into the future. for high quality and reliable local services to underpin quality of life and support a growing local economy. Hilltops 2040 also provides the strategic direction required to inform local land use and infrastructure Hilltops 2040 identifies where growth should occur and planning and management providing individual the expectations on new development to protect and outcomes to suit the various landscapes and enhance local communities, quality and reliable communities across Hilltops. It also identifies where infrastructure, rural production, natural resources, growth should occur and the levels of service expected. cultural heritage, and environmental values in addition to their positive impact on the local economy. I look forward to working with the community to build a solid, consistent and effective platform for future Council looks forward to enacting Hilltops 2040 and land use and infrastructure planning and management reporting regularly to the community on its progress. decisions for Hilltops. Also, developing the right plans, codes and guidance to put Hilltops 2040 in action. | 5 | Hilltops 2040 Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) HILLTOPS 2040 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Hilltops is home to a diverse range of communities Tablelands Regional Plan providing direction looking benefiting from being located within highly productive forward over the next twenty years. rural lands with proximity to major regional and As a long term strategic document, Hilltops 2040 is metropolitan centres. Residents, businesses and designed to be adaptable and responsive to visitors gain from the road and rail connections individual communities while providing clear intentions provided between Hilltops and national networks, and goals. This allows Hilltops 2040 to outline how linking them to national and global markets and broad objectives relate to and respond to the individual services. communities and neighbourhoods of the Hilltops area. However, many of these attributes have undergone The document comprises of three parts – significant change and witnessed major shifts in how businesses and communities interact. This has seen Part 1 - “Placing Hilltops - Land uses and and will continue to see unprecedented changes in Infrastructure” how communities use lands, infrastructure and other • Providing context to Hilltops 2040 in relation to its resources and their expectations on them. impact and operation. Hilltops 2040 builds on what Hilltops communities have • Outlining where Hilltops fits into the region, state identified as their needs and aspirations for the future, and nation and associated implications for recognising the State and national policy settings economic and community development. in place and the projected implications of further economic, social and environmental change occurring • Summarising the strategic directions and both within and outside of Hilltops. From this, Hilltops objectives for land use and infrastructure. 2040 provides the strategic directions, objectives, Part 2 - Town Narratives priorities and actions to ensure land use and infrastructure planning and management is ready for • Providing local objectives for the Young, Boorowa these challenges and opportunities well into the future. and Harden-Murrumburrah. Hilltops 2040 provides the strategic directions for how, • Outlining objectives, priorities and actions for what and where land use and infrastructure will be various precincts within the towns. allocated, planned and managed to achieve the • Highlighting where planned growth will occur and objectives of Hilltops communities. In addition, it associated expectations and outcomes. recognises the critical roles land use and infrastructure Part 3 – Strategic Policy play in progressing and delivering the broader objectives of the community and achieving quality and • Providing policy objectives, priorities and actions to efficient outcomes. It also highlights that co-ordinating assist future decision making. and aligning strategic land use and infrastructure • Policy objectives cover economic, social, planning and management can achieve greater environmental and governance aspects of land use outcomes in addition to significant time and resource planning and management. savings. Implementation Plan Hilltops 2040 is a strategic document, enacting State, Regional and Local strategies through land use In addition, separate to the document, an and infrastructure planning and management. It Implementation Plan will be developed to monitor and incorporates relevant State plans and policies for report on Hilltops 2040 progress on an annual basis. Hilltops and surrounds including the South East and | 6 | Hilltops 2040 Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) CONSULTATION SUMMARY Hilltops 2040 was developed with local communities to to the COVID19 pandemic. In response, the consultation respond and reflect local needs and aspirations. This process focussed on the use of traditional and social includes the development of the associated background media to inform and notify the public of their studies as well as the document itself. opportunity to provide feedback on the content and development of Hilltops 2040. This included: Three background studies were released for public comment in 2019. These were the: • Delivery of in excess of 5000 Hilltops 2040 information leaflets to households across Young, • Rural and Residential Lands Study Harden-Murrumburrah and Boorowa. • Economic Growth and Land Use Strategy • Release of material through Council social media • Freight and Transport Study pages, including Facebook. The feedback provided on the background studies • Release of several ‘vlogs’ (information videos) informed stakeholder workshops held in late 2019 and through social media outlets. the development of the initial Draft Hilltops 2040 • Radio messages and interviews. (Hilltops Local Strategic Planning Statement) released for public consultation in April 2020. • Advertisements in local newspapers. Draft Hilltops 2040 was available for comment from 20 Where possible informal conversations consistent with April to 25 May 2020 (35 days). The consultation process COVID 19 protocols were also held with stakeholders, complied with the relevant legislative requirements seeking their input into the development of Hilltops as well as Hilltops Council’s Community Participation 2040. In addition, several hundred community members Plan 2019. Hilltops 2040 was finalised in time to meet and other stakeholders who had previously shown State government deadlines