PLAN GREATER BENDIGO for Greater Bendigo and Supporting the Loddon Campaspe Region
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PLAN GREATER BENDIGO For Greater Bendigo and supporting the Loddon Campaspe Region Plan Greater Bendigo Action Plan January 2018 A collaborative plan Plan Greater Bendigo is a collaborative plan by the City of Greater Bendigo with the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) and the regional office of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). Funding support was provided by the Victorian Planning Authority. Acknowledgement of Country The ancestors and descendants of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung are the traditional owners of this Country. The City of Greater Bendigo acknowledges that they have been custodians for many centuries and continue to perform age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We all acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region. 2 Draft Plan Greater Bendigo, Action Plan Table of contents Many have contributed 4 Framework Plan 5 Executive Summary 6 Summary of engagement 8 The project principles 9 Purpose of the Plan Greater Bendigo Action Plan 10 Projects 10 Relationship to other strategies 11 Project selection 12 Plan Greater Bendigo Governance and Implementation 13 Monitoring and review 13 Context 14 An adaptable and innovative regional economy 16 Healthy and inclusive communities 24 A stronger and more vibrant city centre 32 A resourceful and sustainable region 38 Action Plan Summary* 44 of contents Table Draft Plan Greater Bendigo, Action Plan 3 Many have contributed The City, VPA and DELWP would like to thank all those who have We would like to also thank all those in the community who have taken contributed to the development of Plan Greater Bendigo. the time to review and to provide comment on the draft Plan Greater A special thank you goes to the members of the Steering Committee Bendigo documents. and Technical Reference Group who have contributed their time in attending numerous meetings and provided significant input into Plan Greater Bendigo. Organisations represented on the Plan Greater Bendigo Steering Committee or Technical Reference Group • Bendigo Bank • Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation • Be.Bendigo • La Trobe University • Bendigo Health • Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership • Bendigo Sustainability Group • Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Group • Bendigo TAFE • North Central Catchment Management Authority • Coliban Water • Regional Development Victoria • Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and • Transport for Victoria Resources • Urban Development Institute of Australia • Department of Education and Training • VicRoads • Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning • Victorian Planning Authority • Department of Health and Human Services 4 Draft Plan Greater Bendigo, Action Plan d inclusive co Framework y an mmu alth nit Plan He ies A n e a r t d n a e p c t a y b t l i e c a t n n d a r i n b i n o v v e a r t o i v m e d r e n g a i o r e n g a l n e o c r t o s n o A m y A re ion so reg urce ble ful and sustaina Draft Plan Greater Bendigo, Action Plan 5 Executive Summary Overview to meet the needs of a growing and ever changing a greater diversity of employment, more and better Infrastructure is a broad term which can refer to population. However, by preparing for this Greater facilities and service options. everything from roads, railways, cycle paths, drainage, Bendigo will be well placed to build on its reputation As we grow we have the opportunity to push the waste management facilities, through to community as a highly liveable community and to better attract boundaries and opt for bold infrastructure choices, centres and schools. When infrastructure functions investment, jobs and visitors. which may be controversial, but will have wide as intended and is delivered and timed in the right Growing at the current rate of 2 per cent, the reaching long term positive impacts on Greater location we think little of it. But when it is not, it can population will reach 200,000 by around 2050. While Bendigo and the region. create significant issues. this will present us with challenges, it also brings While the planning, delivery and ongoing with it many opportunities such as the potential for maintenance of infrastructure can be expensive, if provided in a timely manner, in a way in which Executive Summary Executive supports growth, and delivered in the right locations, it can be transformative. The broader benefits of infrastructure delivery can range from investment attraction and job creation, to improvements in individual health. It can even lead to a fairer, safer and more equitable community and these improvements can span generations. The delivery of infrastructure is often not the responsibility of a single organisation but various levels of government and multiple agencies, stakeholders, the private sector and the community. Given the complexities involved in the planning and delivering of infrastructure this needs to take place often years in advance of delivery. This includes preparing business cases, setting aside land, addressing any legislative requirements and attracting funding - all before detailed planning and construction can even begin. All this is difficult and often not well recognised or rewarded. Therefore it can become easy to focus on the quick wins and the delivery of day-to-day services to meet immediate needs. It is much more difficult to take the time to be strategic, to take a step back and to take a holistic long term look at how we plan Figure 1: Bendigo City Centre by night 6 Draft Plan Greater Bendigo, Action Plan Plan Greater Bendigo investment and significantly add to the quality Headline statistics Plan Greater Bendigo is a ‘first of its kind’ of life for all residents. initiative which has been identified as the Some of these projects require action Now 2050 first stage of implementing the Loddon by Council, while many others would be Mallee South (also referred to as the Loddon delivered in partnership with the community, Campaspe) Regional Growth Plan which government and other Councils. These sets out a long term planning framework for projects do not have a fixed commitment; the region. Plan Greater Bendigo has been they are proposals to shape the future. prepared in collaboration with the Victorian Planning Authority and the regional office of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, with input from various agencies, stakeholders, Council and the community. Through Plan Greater Bendigo we present a consolidated list of the top infrastructure projects for Greater Bendigo and the region more broadly. This builds on the existing work and strategies already prepared by Council, State Government, as well as considering Summary Executive privately led initiatives. There are also some new ideas, which although in their infancy, 83,000 dwellings build on our unique strengths and have the potential to set us apart from other regional cities. In developing Plan Greater Bendigo, Council has sought a wide range of advice and spent considerable time imagining and visioning the future; both how it might pan out and how actions and infrastructure could shape a better future. Council has developed a series 12.1% of 14.4% of population of what are called ‘transformational projects’. population aged over 70 by These are projects which have the potential aged over 70 2036 to facilitate positive change, encourage Draft Plan Greater Bendigo, Action Plan 7 Summary of engagement • Outer arterial road – preparation of a business case for a western and northern Council consulted with a number of agencies, the community and stakeholders to by-pass has been identified, in line with the development of the Marong prepare Plan Greater Bendigo. Business Park and development to the west of the City. • Bendigo Law Courts – included Consultation on the draft Plan Greater Bendigo documents • Managing Groundwater – turning a problem into a resource – included under Council consulted with the community on a draft Plan Greater Bendigo from 23 better using our existing water resources October until 1 December using a range of consultation and engagement methods. • Reimagining the Bendigo Creek – included This included advertising in local papers, facebook posts, website updates, a video There were a number of other projects and ideas identified which have been and brochures. Council officers also attended two listening posts in Bendigo during considered in the preparation of Plan Greater Bendigo. Importantly while the the consultation period. majority of these have not been included in Plan Greater Bendigo, predominately Over the consultation period there were 98 online surveys completed, as well as 9 due to size and responsibility, many have merit and should be considered to be submissions on behalf of agencies and stakeholder groups. progressed through other avenues. Executive Summary Executive Overall feedback on the draft documents was positive, with a number of submissions requesting changes. There was no clear stand out project which was identified as the highest priority by respondents. The most commonly mentioned project in the consultation that wasn’t included in the list of projects was the Central Deborah Goldmine which was mentioned by 15 respondents, followed by the City Centre revitalisation, mentioned by six respondents. Consultation on the Plan Greater Bendigo discussion paper The Plan Greater Bendigo discussion paper identified 70 infrastructure projects of benefit to Greater Bendigo and the region. The community were asked to identify their top and bottom infrastructure projects. Council consulted on a Plan Greater Bendigo Discussion Paper from 20 March until 28 April 2017. A total of 294 surveys were completed over the consultation period, with a further 19 submissions received. There were a variety of views as to the top and bottom projects. Community engagement was one of the inputs into determining the final project selection.