Data for Managed Growth Strategy
Population
At the last ABS Census in 2016 Greater Bendigo’s estimated resident population was 112,267 and in 2019 increased to 118,093.1 The largest age groups in 2016 were those aged between 0 and 17 years and those aged 60 years and over.
It is important to understand how our population is changing over time as this can impact on the type and supply of services and infrastructure such as childcare, schools, housing, healthcare, employment, and sporting and community facilities.
Looking at the past population profiles between 2006 and 2016 (see figures 1 and 2 below), the largest changes were seen in the following emerging groups:
• Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+4,756 people) • Young workforce (25 to 34) (+3,036 people) • Seniors (70 to 84) (+2,407 people) • Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) (+2,191 people)
Figure 1. Greater Bendigo population 2006 Figure 2. Greater Bendigo population 2016
Greater Bendigo Population 2006 Greater Bendigo Population 2016
85 yrs + % Females 85 yrs + % Females 80-84 yrs 80-84 yrs % Males % Males 75-79 yrs 75-79 yrs 70-74 yrs 70-74 yrs 65-69 yrs 65-69 yrs 60-64 yrs 60-64 yrs 55-59 yrs 55-59 yrs 50-54 yrs 50-54 yrs 45-49 yrs 45-49 yrs 40-44 yrs 40-44 yrs 35-39 yrs 35-39 yrs 30-34 yrs 30-34 yrs 25-29 yrs 25-29 yrs 20-24 yrs 20-24 yrs 15-19 yrs 15-19 yrs 10-14 yrs 10-14 yrs 5-9 yrs 5-9 yrs 0-4 yrs 0-4 yrs
6 4 2 0 2 4 6 6 4 2 0 2 4 6
1 Profile.id based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘Census of Population and Housing 2016’ [website], (2019) < https://profile.id.com.au/bendigo>, accessed 11 Aug. 2020.
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Looking towards the future, Greater Bendigo’s population is forecast to reach 155,596 by 2036.2 The largest increase is expected in the following five year age groups:
• 35 to 39 years (+3,480) • 10 to 14 years (+3,328) • 40 to 44 years (+3,215)
Growth in the abovementioned groups roughly translates into the following service age groups:
• Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49 years) +9,510 • Primary and secondary schoolers (5 to 17 years) +9,160
It is important to note that those aged between 60 and 84 years, who require smaller sized and accessible housing, will increase by 11,581:
• Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) +3,655 • Seniors (70 to 84) +7,926
Housing
Residential land
Residential growth across Greater Bendigo is increasingly occurring in the outer suburbs of Bendigo and resulting in larger and more expensive lots. In 2006, residential lot construction (subdivision) was mostly minor infill, accounting for 55.9 per cent of all residential development, and broad hectare/major infill at just 44.1 per cent. Over time however this has changed, and in 2016 broad hectare/major infill was the predominant type of all residential development, at 65.7 per cent.3 See Table 1 and Figure 3 below for further information.
Most of the broad hectare/major infill growth between 2010 and 2016 occurred in Epsom (478) and Ascot (169) with a total of 647 new lots, followed by Huntly (378), Jackass Flat (351), Eaglehawk (323) and Strathfieldsaye (264).
2 Forecast.id based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘2006, 2001 and 2016 Census of Population and Housing 2016’ [website], (2017) < https://forecast.id.com.au/bendigo>, accessed 11 Aug. 2020. 3 DELWP, ‘Urban Development Program Regional Residential Report – Greater Bendigo’, Urban Development Program regional reports: Bendigo, (2017)
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020
Table 1. Total residential lot construction in Greater Bendigo 2006-2016 4
Residential lot construction in Greater Bendigo over time
Year Minor infill * Broad hectare / Major infill ^ Total 2006 372 294 666 2007 65 53 118 2008 275 157 432 2009 221 464 685 2010 208 147 355 2011 242 430 672 2012 139 840 979 2013 1 393 394 2014 86 574 660 2015 458 686 1,144 2016 246 472 718
Figure 3. Proportion of residential lot construction in Greater Bendigo 2006-2016
Proportion of residential lot construction in Greater Bendigo 75.0
60.0
45.0
30.0
15.0
0.0 2006 2016
Minor infill ¹ Broadhectare/Major infill ²
This trend for residential development in the outer suburbs of Bendigo has continued from 2016 to 2019, with the most significant growth in Strathfieldsaye (430), Ascot and Epsom (368), Kangaroo Flat (332), and Huntly (292). See Tables 2 and 3 below for more information.
Residential development on the urban fringes can contribute towards affordability and health problems. Given the significant cost to install new infrastructure it is more expensive to develop, and results in higher upfront costs when purchasing land or newly built housing. But there are also hidden longer term costs. Locating housing on the outskirts of activity centres leaves residents increasingly vulnerable to fluctuating energy prices – particularly travelling via car to and from employment and education options.
4 * Undeveloped land within the existing urban area, zoned for residential development, and parent lot or existing lot less than 1 hectare. A minor infill supply area is defined as no habitable dwelling or significant existing use on the parcel. ^ Undeveloped land generally located on the urban fringe, zoned for residential development (no previous urban development activity), and the parent lot greater than 1 hectare; as well as undeveloped land or sites identified for redevelopment within the existing urban area, zoned for residential development, and parent lot or existing lot greater than 1 hectare. These are normally remnant greenfield sites now surrounded by urban development.
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Table 2. Statement of Compliance (subdivision approvals) by number of lots based on lot size ranges for Greater Bendigo 2010-2019
Statement of Compliance by number of lots in suburbs 2010-2019
Ascot & Epsom (1272) Strathdale (152) Sailors Gully (32) Wilsons Hill (8) Barnadown (0) Strathfieldsaye (852) Kennington (150) Mandurang South (30) Shelbourne (7) Eaglehawk North (0) Huntly (753) California Gully (143) Goornong (24) Eppalock (6) Fosterville (0) Kangaroo Flat (744) Flora Hill (133) Derrinal (17) Lockwood South (6) Hunter (0) Golden Square (734) Spring Gully (127) Golden Gully (16) Emu Creek (5) Huntly North (0) White Hills (559) Heathcote (90) Redesdale (13) Harcourt North (4) Kamarooka (0) Jackass Flat (522) Axedale (86) Mandurang (12) Myers Flat (4) Kimbolton (0) Eaglehawk (516) Quarry Hill (81) Ravenswood (12) Argyle (2) Lake Eppalock (0) Maiden Gully (413) Elmore (80) Mia Mia (11) Avonmore (2) Leichardt (0) North Bendigo (303) Big Hill (57) Bagshot (10) Drummartin (2) Myrtle Creek (0) Junortoun (296) Axe Creek (44) Ladys Pass (10) Lockwood (2) Raywood (0) East Bendigo (285) Sedgwick (39) Lyal (10) Redcastle (2) Sebastian (0) Bendigo (282) Longlea (38) Knowsley (9) Toolleen (2) Wellsford (0) Marong (258) West Bendigo (38) Mt Camel (9) Neilborough (1) Whipstick (0) Long Gully (160) Ironbark (32) Costerfield (8) Bagshot North (0) Woodvale (0) *rural areas highlighted
Table 3. Statement of Compliance (subdivision approvals) by number of lots based on lot size ranges for Greater Bendigo 2016-2019 Statement of Compliance by number of lots in suburbs 2016-2019 Strathfieldsaye (430) Jackass Flat (63) Mandurang South (12) Mt Camel (3) Huntly North (0) Ascot & Epsom (368) California Gully (61) Sailors Gully (9) Big Hill (2) Kamarooka (0) Kangaroo Flat (332) Long Gully (59) Derrinal (7) Eppalock (2) Kimbolton (0) Huntly (292) Spring Gully (57) Golden Gully (7) Lockwood (2) Lake Eppalock (0) White Hills (234) Axedale (54) Costerfield (6) Redcastle (2) Leichardt (0) Golden Square (226) Flora Hill (48) Lyal (6) Argyle (0) Myrtle Creek (0) Maiden Gully (219) Kennington (38) Redesdale (6) Avonmore (0) Neilborough (0) Marong (191) Sedgwick (32) Ladys Pass (5) Bagshot (0) Ravenswood (0) East Bendigo (125) West Bendigo (26) Wilsons Hill (5) Bagshot North (0) Raywood (0) Junortoun (122) Axe Creek (25) Knowsley (4) Barnadown (0) Sebastian (0) North Bendigo (116) Heathcote (22) Mandurang (4) Drummartin (0) Shelbourne (0) Bendigo (109) Quarry Hill (16) Myers Flat (4) Eaglehawk North (0) Toolleen (0) Eaglehawk (90) Goornong (14) Emu Creek (3) Fosterville (0) Wellsford (0) Elmore (67) Longlea (13) Lockwood South (3) Harcourt North (0) Whipstick (0) Strathdale (66) Ironbark (12) Mia Mia (3) Hunter (0) Woodvale (0) *rural areas highlighted
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Notably, since 2016 some of Greater Bendigo’s rural communities have seen comparable residential subdivisions as some urban areas in Bendigo. This includes traditional services centres of Heathcote (22) and Elmore (67), and urban periphery towns of Marong (191), Axedale (54) and Goornong (14).
Between 2010 and 2019 the highest number and proportion of lots have consistently been in the range of 501m² and 1,000m² (see Table 4 and Figure 4 below). However, given the growth in broad hectare/major infill in outer suburbs of Bendigo, it is unsurprising that since 2016 there has been a shift away from creating smaller lots (0-300m² area) and growth in larger lots (1,001-4,000m²) in new subdivision approvals. This leaves fewer options for those looking for affordable housing or to downsize, such as retirees, single households, those on lower incomes or first home buyers.
Table 4. Lot size ranges for residential subdivision (Statement of Compliance) in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019 Lot size ranges for residential subdivisions in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019 0 - 301 - 501 - 1001 - 0.4 - 2ha - 4ha - 8ha - over Total 300m² 500m² 1000m² 4000m² 2ha 4ha 8ha 40ha 40ha # 84 127 217 75 29 7 6 15 18 578 2010 % 14.5 22.0 37.5 13.0 5.0 1.2 1.0 2.6 3.1 # 78 177 450 87 45 12 8 9 5 871 2011 % 9.0 20.3 51.7 10.0 5.2 1.4 0.9 1.0 0.6 # 194 392 497 110 53 17 15 28 9 1315 2012 % 14.8 29.8 37.8 8.4 4.0 1.3 1.1 2.1 0.7 # 110 340 472 87 30 5 18 19 4 1085 2013 % 10.1 31.3 43.5 8.0 2.8 0.5 1.7 1.8 0.4 # 107 307 393 109 45 8 7 29 12 1017 2014 % 10.5 30.2 38.6 10.7 4.4 0.8 0.7 2.9 1.2 # 116 222 476 117 36 27 18 13 2 1027 2015 % 11.3 21.6 46.3 11.4 3.5 2.6 1.8 1.3 0.2 # 120 222 358 188 42 14 20 57 4 1025 2016 % 11.7 21.7 34.9 18.3 4.1 1.4 2.0 5.6 0.4 # 105 220 413 131 47 8 11 37 3 975 2017 % 10.8 22.6 42.4 13.4 4.8 0.8 1.1 3.8 0.3 # 51 169 510 105 33 13 9 40 16 946 2018 % 5.4 17.9 53.9 11.1 3.5 1.4 1.0 4.2 1.7 # 53 167 296 108 19 11 4 13 5 676 2019 % 7.8 24.7 43.8 16.0 2.8 1.6 0.6 1.9 0.7
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Figure 4. Proportion (%) of lot size ranges for residential subdivisions in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019
Proportion of lot size ranges for residential subdivisions in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019 60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 0 - 300m² 301 - 500m² 501 - 1000m² 1001 - 4000m² > 4000m²
Residential development in the outer suburbs and larger lot sizes contribute to, amongst other factors, increasing prices of vacant land. From 2006 to 2016, the median purchase price of residential land in Greater Bendigo has increased from $85,000 to $150,000.5 See Table 5 below for more information.
Table 5. Vacant residential land sales in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019 Year Number sales Median price $ 2006 592 85,000 2007 562 89,000 2008 423 85,000 2009 750 86,500 2010 723 97,000 2011 888 105,425 2012 851 112,000 2013 779 120,000 2014 753 120,000 2015 552 132,250 2016 481 150,000
5 DELWP, ‘A Guide to Property Values: Annual data and analysis from Valuer-General Victoria’, Property prices, (2019)
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Housing growth
Between 2010 and 2019 there were a total of 8,632 new dwellings built in almost all Greater Bendigo’s 76 suburbs (with the exception of five suburbs). Dwellings in the urban suburbs of Bendigo accounted for 84 per cent of this growth and 16 per cent occurred in our rural communities.
This growth equates to an average of 862 dwellings annually between 2010 and 2019. See Figure 5 below.
Figure 5. Total annual dwelling completions (Certificate of Occupancy) and estimated resident population in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019
Annual ERP and new dwellings in Greater Bendigo 2,500 2,359 2,000 2,052 2,052 1,998 1,953 1,954 1,910 1,824 1,500 1,489 1,000 1,071 1,097 1,069 889 945 500 766 734 729 803 517 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ERP annual growth New dwellings Source: ABS, Estimated Resident Population 2001-2019 (3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2018-19). CoGB, Certificate of Occupancy submitted by building surveyors.
Overall, construction of new dwellings was highest in the suburbs of Ascot (379) and Epsom (761) with a total of 1,140, followed by Kangaroo Flat (800), Strathfieldsaye (724) and Huntly (568). See Table 6 below.
Table 6. Dwelling completions (Certificate of Occupancy) by suburb in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019
New dwellings by suburb in Greater Bendigo 2010-2019
Ascot & Epsom (1140) Flora Hill (135) Eppalock (30) Shelbourne (13) Golden Gully (3) Kangaroo Flat (800) Bendigo (132) Ironbark (29) Bagshot (11) Leichardt (3) Strathfieldsaye (724) Long Gully (127) West Bendigo (28) Redesdale (10) Raywood (3) Huntly (568) Kennington (105) Mandurang (27) Huntly North (9) Drummartin (2) Junortoun (517) Axedale (99) Sailors Gully (27) Argyle (8) Kamarooka (2) Maiden Gully (477) East Bendigo (96) Ravenswood (26) Knowsley (8) Redcastle (2) Jackass Flat (463) Spring Gully (96) Mandurang South (23) Mt Camel (8) Wilsons Hill (2) Eaglehawk (458) Lockwood South (94) Lockwood (22) Harcourt North (7) Avonmore (1) Golden Square (437) Sedgwick (56) Woodvale (21) Myers Flat (7) Fosterville (1) White Hills (354) Goornong (55) Emu Creek (20) Myrtle Creek (6) Whipstick (1) Marong (343) Quarry Hill (54) Mia Mia (19) Wellsford (6) Barnadown (0) North Bendigo (190) Big Hill (48) Neilborough (15) Toolleen (5) Eaglehawk North (0) Heathcote (177) Longlea (48) Sebastian (15) Kimbolton (4) Hunter (0) California Gully (174) Axe Creek (36) Derrinal (13) Bagshot North (3) Lake Eppalock (0) Strathdale (141) Elmore (32) Ladys Pass (13) Costerfield (3) Lyal (0) *rural areas highlighted in blue
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 This housing growth has changed the way in which suburbs look, feel and function (see figures 6 and 7 below), and influences the quality of life for our communities.
Figure 6. Ascot and Epsom aerial 2005 Figure 7. Ascot and Epsom aerial 2019
In our rural communities, there was notable growth in the urban periphery towns of Marong (343) and Axedale (99), the traditional services centre of Heathcote (177), and rural localities of Lockwood South (94), and Sedgwick (56). Refer to Table 6 above for further information.
Although Greater Bendigo offers a range of different lifestyles, as evidenced by housing growth across most urban and rural areas, there is still increasing pressure on the housing market. Like many municipalities across Australia, Greater Bendigo is experiencing an affordable housing problem.
Not only have house prices increased over time, but they have also increased in comparison to income. In 2006 the median house price in Bendigo was five times the annual median household income and by 2016 this had risen to 5.24. This represents a 48.6 per cent increase in median house prices from $217,000 to $322,500 over these 10 years.6 In 2016 there were an estimated 11,397 households in very low, low and moderate income ranges experiencing rental and mortgage stress. This means that 25.9% of all households in Greater Bendigo were vulnerable to a housing crisis or eviction due to rental or mortgage stress.
There is also increasing demand for social housing, with an estimated total need for 4,887 social housing dwellings.
6 DELWP, ‘A Guide to Property Values: Annual data and analysis from Valuer-General Victoria’, Houses by suburb, (2019)
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Households and housing size
Over time the type of housing in Greater Bendigo is changing. As population, consumer and industry trends shift, a mismatch in household and dwelling size is emerging.
Since 2006, families (couples and one parent with children) have been the dominant household type in Greater Bendigo. While families do require larger homes, there has been a notable increase in the proportion of private dwellings with four bedrooms, from 20.8 per cent in 2006 to 25.9 per cent in 2016. See Table 7 and Figure 8 below.
Table 7. Total bedrooms in private dwellings in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 2006-2016 Total bedrooms in private dwellings in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 2006-2016 2006 2011 2016 Total Total Total Total Total Total
number # proportion % number # proportion % number # proportion % None (includes bedsitters) 169 0.4 125 0.3 101 0.2 1 bedroom 1,211 3.1 1,129 2.7 1,124 2.4 2 bedrooms 6,183 15.6 6,465 15.3 6,617 14.3 3 bedrooms 18,838 47.6 20,046 47.6 20,412 44.0 4 bedrooms or more 8,234 20.8 9,737 23.1 12,033 25.9 Not stated 1,478 3.7 719 1.7 1,080 2.3 Total private dwellings 39,592 42,119 46,372
Figure 8. Proportion of bedrooms in private dwellings in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 2006-2016
Proportion of bedrooms in private dwellings in Greater Bendigo (LGA)
50.0
25.0
0.0 2006 2011 2016
1 bedroom 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 4 bedrooms or more
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 At the same time there has also been growth in the number of families without children, increasing by 20.7 per cent, and lone person households increasing by 25.8 per cent (see Table 8 and Figure 9 below). This is likely to be an indicator of an ageing population who will need to downsize to smaller homes.
Table 8. Household types in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 2006-2016 Total household types in Greater Bendigo (LGA) overtime 2006 2011 2016 Total Total Total Total Total Total Household type number # proportion % number # proportion % number # proportion % Couple family no children 9,228 25.6 10,263 25.9 11,141 25.3 Family (couple/one parent) with children 14,716 40.7 15,615 39.4 16,516 37.6 Other family 370 1.0 409 1.0 462 1.1 Total family 24,313 67.3 26,279 66.3 28,125 64.0 Lone person 9,197 25.5 10,305 26.0 11,569 26.3 Group 1,492 4.1 1,633 4.1 1,669 3.8 Other 1,114 3.1 1,418 3.6 2,612 5.9 Total households 36,113 39,636 43,969
Figure 9. Proportion of main household types in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 2006-2016
Proportion of main household types in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0 2006 2011 2016
Family (couple/one parent) with children Couple family Lone person Group no children
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Although there is a clear need for smaller homes, currently Greater Bendigo does not have enough one or two bedroom housing stock to meet these smaller household types, causing a housing mismatch. In 2016 there were 22,710 one and two person households (11,569 single/lone person households and 11,141 couple family with no children) yet there were only 7,741 one or two bedroom dwellings. As a result, there was a total of 6,349 lone person households and 9,231 couple families with no children households living in housing with three or more bedrooms. See Table 9 below for further information.
Table 9. Lone persons and couple families no children and number of bedrooms in private dwellings in Greater Bendigo (LGA) 2016 One & two person households and dwelling size in Greater Bendigo 2016 One family household: Lone person Total Couple family no children household None (includes bedsitters) 10 78 85 One bedroom 140 910 1,049 Two bedrooms 1,480 3,617 5,090 Three bedrooms 6,284 5,243 11,521 Four bedrooms 2,689 1,002 3,694 Five bedrooms 214 79 291 Six bedrooms or more 44 25 70 Not stated 189 628 816 Not applicable 0 0 0 Total 11,047 11,562 22,611
Transport
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily limited when we leave our homes and how we travel around, usually people leave their homes on a daily basis for work, shopping, socialising, or physical activity. Cost, time and a range of social determinants all influence which method of travel people choose – such as active transport, public transport, or private vehicles.
Each of these travel options have an impact on quality of life, the character of a place and climate change. Cars are not only costly to run and maintain, but they also encourage a sedentary lifestyle which has further health costs, encourage sprawling and costly urban development, contribute to declining community connection, and particularly disadvantage vulnerable communities. Whereas active transport has a range of mental, physical, community and environmental benefits. For instance, walking and cycling improves happiness, lowers risk of depression, increases opportunities for community interactions that build social capital, and reduces carbon emissions.
It is therefore vital to understand how people are moving around our municipality and what policy interventions can be made to create better outcomes for the community and environment.
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 On Census day in 2016, approximately 34 per cent of Greater Bendigo residents travelled in a vehicle to get to work. Active transport, such as walking or cycling, only accounted for 1.7 per cent and public transport accounted for 0.9 per cent (see Table 10 below).
Table 10. ABS Census 2016 ‘Method of travel to work’ in Greater Bendigo
Method of travel to work in Greater Bendigo 2016
# % Public Transport 1,003 0.9 Vehicle 37,611 34.0 Active Transport 1,873 1.7 Other Mode 192 0.2 Worked at home or Did not go to work 7,535 6.8 Mode not stated 454 0.4 Not applicable 61,800 55.9
Despite such low proportions of people using active transport to get to work in 2016, walking has consistently been the most popular physical activity for adults in our community in both 2014 and 2019, according to the Active Living Census. In addition to this, 52.9 per cent of people wanted to be more active more often in 2019. This may indicate there is potentially a need to change daily travel perceptions and culture, and/or infrastructure for active transport.
A review of whether development is occurring in line with the principles and policies for integrated transport and land use may also be required to further understand these travel behaviours.
Over the past five years travel in and out Greater Bendigo has changed significantly with the expansion of the Bendigo airport and Bendigo Rail network.
Bendigo Airport currently offers a range of commercial and light aircraft operations including emergency services, flight training and recreational, corporate and charter operations. QantasLink offers flights between Bendigo and Sydney, attracting 15,000 visitors annually, and there is an opportunity to develop an associated business precinct at the airport in future. Given the importance of this facility to Bendigo and the greater region, protecting its existing and future potential operations will be vital for the local economy, education and health system.
Since 2011, both State and Federal Governments have invested approximately $114.5 M to construct new train stations and undertake line and facility upgrades. This represents a significant investment and creates opportunities for attracting new residents and visitors, provides alternative travel options within Greater Bendigo, and increases our connection to surrounding rural communities and metro Melbourne.
State Government is currently undertaking planning for the development of new train stations in Huntly, Goornong and Raywood. Ensuring that integrated transport and land use principles are incorporated in this planning is critical to influencing how activity centres function and whether people are encouraged to use public transport.
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 Economy
Greater Bendigo has a strong and diverse. The key industries are manufacturing, construction, financial and insurance, and rental, hiring and real estate services. Pre-COVID employment was estimated at 47,905 which is estimated to have declined to 44,611 in June 2020, a fall of 6.9%7.
In 2012 there was an existing total commercial floor space of approximately 555,695m², and forecast to increase to a total of 804,916m² by 2031.8 This will require a further 249,221m² of additional commercial floor space across the municipality.
Cultural and creative industries
The cultural and creative industries have both commercial and community aspects and planning to facilitate this activity across the municipality will be vital to future growth in the sector.
The cultural and creative industries make a significant contribution to Greater Bendigo’s economy. In 2016, this sector accounted for 13.3 per cent of all employment – of which 1,177 jobs were cultural and creative occupations.9 This activity is occurring through existing land use and development such as arts and cultural facilities, events, commercial activities and public art.
As the population continues to increase, so too will these commercial and community activities. The way in which public spaces are designed and local planning policy framework must encourage activation through events, commercial activities, and public art.
Agriculture
In Greater Bendigo agriculture plays an important role in the local and national economy and food supply chain. Agricultural land use and development is referred to in this section as Agribusiness. Agribusiness includes all agricultural primary producers, food and beverage product manufacturers as well as manufacturers of agricultural machinery and agricultural support services.
In 2016, there was a total of 1,940 (5.2%) people employed in the Agribusiness sector. Most jobs were in the ‘Food Product Manufacturing’ sector, which was following by the ‘Sheep, Grains, Beef & Dairy Cattle’ and the ‘Poultry and Other Livestock’ sectors.10
This Agribusiness activity generates demand for local goods and services (industrial effects), and a proportion of these workers wages is then spent locally (consumption effects). As a
7 REMPLAN Economy, remplan.com.au 8 Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy, City of Greater Bendigo, 2015 9 Greater CREATIVE Bendigo, City of Greater Bendigo 2018, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016 Census 10 Agri-business Economic Contributions Study, Greater Bendigo and Loddon Campaspe 2017, REMPLAN
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 result, for every 10 people employed directly in the Agribusiness sector, it is estimated that another 9 to 10 people are employed in the broader Greater Bendigo economy (total of 3,866 jobs).
In 2016, the total economic output for Greater Bendigo is estimated at $11.236 billion, of which Agribusiness accounts for $801.962 million (7.1%). The dominant sector was ‘Food Product Manufacturing’ at $530.406 million, following by the ‘Sheep, Grains, Beef & Dairy Cattle’, ‘Beverage Product Manufacturing’, and ‘Poultry and Other Livestock’ sectors.11
For every dollar of direct output generated by the Agribusiness sector, the broader Greater Bendigo economy is estimated to benefit by a further $0.74 once flow-on industrial and consumption effects are taken into consideration (total output of $1.397 billion).
Figure 10. Agribusiness output and employment by sector in Greater Bendigo 2016
Agribusiness output and employment by sector in Greater Bendigo 2016
Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Manu.
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Support Services
Other Agriculture
Beverage Product Manufacturing
Poultry & Other Livestock
Sheep, Grains, Beef & Dairy Cattle
Food Product Manufacturing
0.00 500.00 1,000.00 1,500.00 Employment # Output $Millions
In terms of land use and development, Agribusiness’s are located across Greater Bendigo in both urban and rural areas, on commercial, industrial and farming zoned land, and operate under a range of different industry codes and practices. Understanding the constraints of this sector is essential to retaining and growing these businesses into the future.
In 2018, there were over 50 large poultry and piggery farming operations in Greater Bendigo’s rural areas. This includes egg production, broilers, piggeries and food processing facilities. Some of these activities must meet buffer distances from surrounding sensitive land uses, however they are implemented through industry codes and are largely separate to the planning scheme. As a result, residential encroachment is a significant issue in the ongoing viability of these farming operations.
In 2009, the Rural Areas Strategy recognised that farming land needs to be protected from fragmentation and residential encroachment. This work identified that there is also an
11 Ibid.
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Document Set ID: 4457560 Version: 1, Version Date: 31/08/2020 excessive amount of land designated for hobby farmlet type use within the municipality, which far exceeds any minimum standard.
Given the importance of the Agribusiness sector to Greater Bendigo’s economy, it will be vital to protect agricultural land so that existing activities can continue, as well as ensuring there is capacity for further growth of these sectors in future.
Industry
Across Greater Bendigo there is approximately 967.5ha of industrial zoned land, across 22 industrial precincts in both urban and rural areas. Although industrial activity will be occurring in other zones, this data relates only to those 22 industrial precincts.
In 2016 there were an estimated 8,545 jobs in these precincts, and growth in industrial activity is expected to increase in future. By 2036 an additional 3,303 additional jobs are forecast, bringing the total to 11,848 employed.12
In addition to the existing supply of industrial land across the 22 precincts, based on current consumption rates a minimum of 170ha will be required over the next 30 years.13
A number of constraints have been identified within the existing industrial precincts. This includes fragmented land, constrained in the types of uses that can be supported or allowed by proximity to sensitive uses such as residential, difficult to access because it relies on transport routes through residential areas, and constrained by a range of environmental factors.
Planning for future residential and industrial growth must address these existing constraints and avoid creating further constraints in future.
Contaminated land
Land use activities can potentially contaminate land or water, becoming a risk to environmental and human health. Land uses relating to mining, industry, or the storage of chemicals, gas, wastes or liquid fuel are considered to have a high potential for land contamination. Like many municipalities, Greater Bendigo has a number of large sites that are affected by contamination.
Since 1851, there have been more than 5,000 gold mines registered in Bendigo, covering an area of approximately 64km². These old mine shafts range in depth, on average between 300 metres and 600 metres, with some more than 1,000 metres deep. The Bendigo goldfield represents the largest concentration of deep shafts anywhere in the world.
This historic mining activity has left Bendigo with a legacy of contaminated land, including several large parcels of land in urban areas covering around 100ha. Further investigation is
12 Bendigo Industrial Land Review - Strategic Inputs Report, REMPLAN 2019 13 Ibid.
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MANAGED GROWTH STRATEGY
Project Brief – September 2020
Document Set ID: 4457561 Version: 2, Version Date: 02/09/2020 MANAGED GROWTH STRATEGY Project Brief
Contents
1. The Task – Purpose, Scope and Approach ...... 2 2. Aims and Objectives ...... 5 3. Scope ...... 6 4. Background ...... 7 5. Project staging, key tasks and outputs ...... 8 • Stage 1 – Background research ...... 8 • Stage 2 – Draft Background Paper...... 8 • Stage 3 – Draft Managed Growth Strategy ...... 10 • Implementation of the Managed Growth Strategy ...... 11 6. Stakeholders ...... 13 a) Internal units ...... 13 b) External ...... 13 c) Council ...... 13 7. Engagement ...... 14 8. Risk Assessment ...... 14 9. Project Management and Governance ...... 15 a) Steering Committee ...... 15 b) Project Control Group (PCG) ...... 16 10. Reporting Requirements ...... 16 11. Budget ...... 17 12. Background documents, policy and legislation ...... 17 a) State Government ...... 18 b) City of Greater Bendigo ...... 18 13. Brief Approval ...... 20
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1. The Task – Purpose, Scope and Approach
The City of Greater Bendigo needs an agreed strategy to manage where and how future growth and development will take place. That strategy needs to be prepared as a collaborative project between Council, which is responsible for land use planning, the community, landowners and interest groups, and the various departments and agencies that provide critical infrastructure, facilities and services.
The City has a long and proud history that has shaped where we are today. Greater Bendigo is built on the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples who managed the land for thousands of years. In the nineteenth century the wealth found through gold mining built a city, suburbs, towns and rural settlements and funded many of the opulent German inspired architecture that Bendigo is renowned for now. Over the decades different urban forms and architectural styles show the pattern of growth of Greater Bendigo to where we are today. It will be important to ensure this important history and in particular that of the traditional owners is encapsulated in planning for the future growth of Greater Bendigo.
To the extent possible such a strategy needs to address a long-term horizon. The State Government requires Councils to embrace at least a 15 year forward plan of where development will take place and demonstrate a land supply for that period. Recently in undertaking a comprehensive review of its current planning scheme, Council identified that a very high priority was the need for a long-term framework to guide the development of the City. Council has formed the view that a Managed Growth Strategy (MGS) needs to be prepared that looks forward up to thirty years into the future. Council recognises that change is both constant and transformational. The last few months and the impacts of COVID-19 are no better example of how radically things can change over a short time period. It is difficult to know the longer-term impacts on regional cities and smaller townships but it is highly possible they may become more attractive locations should flexible working arrangements continue. COVID-19 and its implications may well impact on the role of the city centre, places of work and how we design our suburbs and houses.
More broadly, it is not possible to fully comprehend and detail what changes will occur in the factors that will drive and impact on where and how people will live and work over a period of thirty years. Changes will continue to occur in society, transport, technology, communications, jobs and in our climate. While we are not able to fully envisage the changes, which will occur in the future, it is still important to develop a widely agreed and supported strategy to identify clear directions as to where we are heading.
To the extent possible Council should ensure that the form and function of urban Bendigo and its small towns and rural communities are planned and then developed so as to;
• maximise the level of liveability, • reduce our environmental impact in how we live and travel, • ensure that all people have safe and convenient access to the facilities and services they need, • consider the impact of new development on improving health and wellbeing outcomes including being able to access public spaces, • provide for the efficient use of infrastructure and facilities, • move around the whole City and connect with each other in an efficient manner with minimal cost, and • ensure that we have an inclusive and sustainable community where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
The process for the preparation of the MGS is critical to its success. The development of the MGS and the tough questions and issues that must be addressed need to be resolved through an open and transparent process and a dialogue that genuinely engages with the community. A strong partnership needs to be formed with those state government departments and agencies that are responsible for core infrastructure and services such as transport (road, rail and public transport services), water and sewerage to ensure that land use development is integrated and collectively delivered in a timely and efficient manner. Further outward growth and development of urban areas will be constrained by factors such as; the costs of extending infrastructure, flooding and bushfire risk, public land areas, the need to protect vegetation, biodiversity and productive agricultural land. Increasingly government and community are demanding that planning will protect communities from bushfire, this will be a critical starting point in where and how we build. There will be pressure for increased infill urban development, but it can impact existing residential and other uses and can have significant servicing constraints. Securing land for future employment, for transport and for facilities like schools and community uses often needs to be provided well ahead of development.
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Only a collaborative approach with all the relevant organisations that are responsible for these facilities, services assets and constraints will be productive.
The City of Greater Bendigo’s population is now nearly 120,000 people.1 This makes it the second largest municipality in regional Victoria. Greater Bendigo has been experiencing sustained population and jobs growth over a long period. On current and projected population growth rates the municipality will be home to around 200,000 people by 2050. This would be an increase of about 80,000 people and will require an estimated 40,000 new dwellings to house the population and a similar increase in the number of jobs. While population growth isn’t inevitable, sustained population increase has characterised the last fifty years in Greater Bendigo and there is little to indicate that current rates won’t continue. The rate of increase over the last twenty years has consistently been around a 1.7% increase per annum. Significantly Greater Bendigo population’s growth is derived from strong net in-migration (the largest source) and more births than deaths. In contrast to major metropolitan areas, population growth in Greater Bendigo has had a low reliance on overseas migration. With the likely reduction in overseas migration in the short term, at least, due to the pandemic, the increased focus on the values of living regions generally and through the pandemic and the opportunities for people to consider a wider range of living and working options, it is possible that future population growth in Greater Bendigo may exceed current projections.
Future population growth provides major challenges as to where and how to house this increase in people and this agenda frames a series of high-level questions that need to be addressed and resolved in the MGS;
• what forms and types of housing will be needed in the future? • where should future housing be located and what form should urban development take? • what facilities and services will be needed to support population growth? • what infrastructure is needed to support how people and goods will move around in the future? • what will be the dominant employment sectors and where will people work? • how will changes in the environment impact on how and where we live?
The choices around location of housing, what forms of transport and digital access, and the other key infrastructure and facilities will be invested in are critical in shaping the form and structure of urban Bendigo and the towns and communities across Greater Bendigo. The MGS is designed to be developed in collaboration with the community and with those departments and agencies that provide the facilities and services that support development. It will be charged with establishing a clear framework for where and how development will occur and where it won’t occur.
Council has options as to how this future growth can occur. Simplistically the extremes in terms of accommodating future population are; continued sprawl or greater density in nominated parts of the City. The outcomes of a 30- year plan will need to be much more sophisticated and imaginative than a simplistic choice. The answer to the fundamental questions of where and what form development should take place will shape how we all live and how our urban, small town and rural areas will look and function. Residents, landowners, the development industry and various interest groups all have a stake in how Greater Bendigo grows and develops. Planning for growth is not only about where development takes place, but also involves ensuring high levels of liveability, quality presentation, a zero net carbon impact and reversing those processes which threaten liveability. How we accommodate growth will impact on every person, household and business across the municipality.
The far-reaching nature of this MGS requires that it be prepared in two phases.
The first phase is an inclusive process to resolve the big fundamental questions about how and where the City will develop, the shape and form of the whole City, the infrastructure and facilities that will be needed and how these will be provided in a timely and sequenced manner. The second phase is a focus on the tools in the planning scheme to ensure that Council can deliver the detailed progressive development of the City so as to implement the overall Strategy. The two phases embrace;
Phase One sets out the overall Strategy and provides the framework – where and what form of development will be provided for and how it will be it be serviced and facilitated by major infrastructure investment. Phase one will be a holistic 30-year planning framework and action plan for the whole of the City of Greater Bendigo. It will draw upon and build on a range of existing strategies, analyse changes which have occurred since these earlier strategies were adopted, undertake new research, and develop a clear vision and plan to guide the future urban
1 The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated the population of the City of Greater Bendigo at 30 June 2019 at 118,093
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development of a municipality with 200,000 people. The MGS will need to determine a strong course of action to balance the need for new development and the opportunities to support a growing population, while accommodating existing and future constraints to unplanned development. These variables include the efficient and timely provision of new infrastructure, where new jobs will be located, how people will move around the Bendigo urban area and our towns, new ways of working, ensuring that housing is affordable and relevant to future household needs, the threats and impacts for those areas identified as subject to bushfire and flooding, the need to protect land with high ecological or agricultural value, and the protection and conservation of our heritage and neighbourhood character in particular areas of Greater Bendigo. Phase one will need to be far sighted but will also build on existing adopted strategies that have already set the framework for much of the City’s development in specific elements such as; residential development, housing, transport including active transport, industrial development, commercial development, and public space. The City has identified through its Economic Development Strategy that the release for exploration for gold of large areas to the east and north of Bendigo may be the forerunner of a major industrial and employment boom which could have profound impacts on how the City develops and how the corridor to Echuca becomes a significant employment and ad service area. Phase one will need to bring this material together with a longer-term lens and embrace a project plan for the City’s population to reach 200,000 people. It will consider whether there will need to be future urban areas outside of the existing urban growth boundary and whether infill areas within existing built up areas will need to be nominated. Phase one will focus on residential development but it will also include consideration of areas for employment, recreation, public space, education and other specialist needs. Importantly it will need to set out an agreed transport plan for upgrading existing facilities such as roads, rail and bus public transport and for active transport options. It will need to plan for the development of new facilities for different ways that will move people, goods and information in the future. There is an increasing focus by government for critical transport, digital infrastructure is becoming increasingly significant, and servicing infrastructure and facilities to be provided for through an agreed and adopted strategy. Strong consideration needs to be given to the development of a written compact between the City and the major infrastructure and facility and service providers on the provision of land and infrastructure. A compact underwrites the progressive development of the city to ensure that the critical infrastructure particularly relating to transport, water and sewerage is provided commensurate with urban development. At the more detailed development level Council will continue to implement a program of development contributions plans to ensure that facilities are supplied to support community and neighbourhood needs. The MGS will be incorporated into the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme and provide the basis for providing for population and jobs growth for the City when it has 200,000 people.
Phase Two will provide the tools for the detailed and progressive implementation of the MGS. This will include a detailed action plan as well as directions around implementation through the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme. This will include preparing clear planning policy setting out how 30 years of future growth will be accommodated. It will apply relevant zones and planning controls in established areas including the relevant residential zone and overlays where needed and detail the planning for any new greenfield areas and the various townships. This will provide stronger direction at a suburb by suburb and town by town basis as to the proposed development outcomes including providing for a range of dwelling types to meet changing demographic needs. It will also factor in existing and future constraints and opportunities including access to employment, services and transport, as well as considering the environmental impacts of dwelling types and design.
Importantly phase 2 will provide Council, landowners, community members and the development industry with greater certainty about the type and form of development that will take place in existing developed areas, in new greenfield areas and in townships and rural areas. It will provide for the staged release of land and for the provision of infrastructure and services. Wherever relevant this will include the preparation of Development Contributions Plans (DCP) to ensure that there is certainly about what facilities will be provided linked to the development of the area.
While Phase 2 will focus on planning scheme provisions relating to residential development it will also address employment areas, commercial and retail development and other supporting uses and developments. Elements of phase 2 will be delivered over time. It will not be necessary to provide fully detailed planning scheme provisions in the first round of implementation for land that is identified as not being needed beyond a 10 – 15-year horizon.
This brief sets out a collaborative approach for preparing the MGS.
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A range of State Government agencies and stakeholders involved in the future planning of infrastructure will be included in the development of the MGS to ensure a coordinated plan in relation to the delivery of infrastructure and the consistent consideration of regulatory and planning requirements.
The Managed Growth Strategy will be implemented through a major amendment to the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme along with a range of other actions. This will provide directions for the Council, government agencies, community, development proponents and for City officers for managing and directing the long-term overall land use planning and development of Greater Bendigo and guidance for smaller area level planning.
The scale and complexity of this task is such that the project brief envisages a two-year process for completion of the Strategy followed by a major amendment to the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme.
2. Aims and Objectives
Phase 1
• Better understand current and future demographic, economic, social and environmental changes in Greater Bendigo to inform any changes around land use policy.
• Ensure a 30-year pipeline of residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural land with a minimum 15- year supply of land to accommodate an anticipated population of 200,000 people by 2050.
• Provide an adopted sequence of development and infrastructure provision to better coordinate investment in infrastructure including transport, education and community facilities, sewer and water, telecommunications and electricity with the delivery of housing and commercial and industrial land, including working directly with State Government agencies to ensure planning alignment.
• Integrate land use and transport planning by aligning future road and other transport infrastructure and services delivery concurrently with population and employment growth, as well as maximising the opportunities and use of public transport and active transport options wherever possible.
• Manage population growth and change by providing directions around suitable locations to promote different types of housing based on access to employment, services and transport while considering environmental, infrastructure and planning constraints.
• Consider the need for additional zoned land for employment opportunities located near to residential development and identify where planning for 10-minute neighbourhoods needs to take place.
• Consider the impact of different planning controls on development outcomes for example heritage and design and development overlays.
• Identify and understand the appropriate planning or other tools to protect significant environmental, and ecological landscapes as well as high value agricultural land.
• Provide recommendations around the role of rural townships and rural living areas.
• Consider constraints to development including bushfire risk, flooding and drainage, contaminated land, flooding and drainage, bushfire, and other infrastructure buffers particularly in planning for sensitive uses.
• Consider the broader environmental impacts of new housing by applying One Planet Living Principles.
• Understand the potential constraints to developing disused crown land and identify potential solutions to enable this development to happen.
• Provide more certainty for the community and developers as to preferred development outcomes for different areas in Greater Bendigo.
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• Recommend any changes to the existing urban growth boundary.
Phase 2
1. Develop a detailed action plan to implement the MGS
2. Prepare planning policies to implement the MGS
3. Apply relevant residential and other zones where appropriate to ensure the implementation of the adopted MGS
4. Apply other planning controls where appropriate to ensure the implementation of the adopted MGS
3. Scope
Study area:
The Project will embrace the entire Greater Bendigo local government area.
In scope:
• The development of a detailed Managed Growth Strategy will include an overarching framework plan (map or series of maps) of the whole of Greater Bendigo, as well as suburb by suburb and town by town maps setting the nominated land use outcomes. • Development of a sequencing table setting out the progressive development of the City linked to a schedule of infrastructure development to support the nominated growth areas (infill and greenfield). • Recommend where the existing urban growth boundary needs to be altered. • The ongoing involvement and commitment of State Government Agencies to ensure this plan is aligned with the infrastructure delivery, regulation and planning of these agencies. • A supporting infrastructure plan / framework for the municipality that provides a roadmap for the planning, funding and delivery of critical infrastructure. • Identification of any strategies which are outdated and will be replaced through the Managed Growth Strategy. • The consideration of the application of the residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural zones or other planning controls to provide greater certainty and to encourage a greater diversity of housing and employment in appropriate locations. • Preparation of a planning scheme amendment to implement the Managed Growth Strategy. • The development of a series of other actions to ensure a coordinated pattern of future development in Greater Bendigo.
Out of scope:
• Areas outside of Greater Bendigo. • The delivery of housing, commercial development, community, educational and sporting facilities. • Detailed neighbourhood character or heritage studies. • Amending any existing strategies. • The application of detailed built form controls such as Design and Development Overlays, Heritage and Neighbourhood Character Overlays, Flooding and other Environmental Overlays • Rezoning land where this will need to be the subject of a more detailed planning process.
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4. Background
This brief outlines the project context, background, proposed scope, objectives, implementation, partners and governance for the development of a new Managed Growth Strategy for the City of Greater Bendigo (the City).
The population of Greater Bendigo has been growing by around 2,000 more residents or around 1.7 per cent each year (further detail is provided in Appendix 1). Continuing to grow at this rate will mean there will be around 200,000 residents in Greater Bendigo by 2050. The COVID-19 pandemic may positively or negatively impact this rate of growth and as we move through this project, we might start to get a better understanding of these impacts.
Greater Bendigo is also a service hub for the broader Loddon Campaspe Region and as such it needs to provide for a greater range of commercial, industrial, sporting and other facilities to meet these needs.
The City is responsible for managing the delivery of sufficient zoned land to meet the needs of a growing community across all land types, generally a minimum of 15 years’ supply. This helps to put downward pressure on land prices to provide greater access to affordable alternatives. However, this needs to be balanced with not providing too much supply which would lead to less coordinated development and making it less viable to deliver infrastructure and services to areas.
Why create a Managed Growth Strategy?
Council has adopted a number of Strategies in recent years including the Residential Growth Strategy, Housing Strategy, Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy, Connecting Greater Bendigo: Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy, Public Space Plan, Environment Strategy and Greater Bendigo Industrial Land Development Strategy which provide a future framework for different themes and land uses. Given a number of these strategies are due for review it is timely to consider how we may integrate these into a single planning framework for the municipality. The need for such a document was also highlighted through the recent Planning Scheme review. The demographic structure of Bendigo continues to change. The population continues to age. New ways of work are becoming more prevalent. There is greater employment in the service sector, in part time and casual work. Retailing is changing and the need for face to face transactions are declining. In transport the use of electric vehicles is growing, driverless vehicles may be part of the future. High speed internet connection to the rest of the world will be critical for how people live their lives and transact business. Since these strategies were developed, there have been more than 10,000 residents and jobs added (pre-COVID) in Greater Bendigo, significant investments such as the Hospital Redevelopment, Ravenswood Interchange and Napier Street upgrade and Bendigo Metro Rail have been completed or substantially progressed. There is a growing awareness of environmental change, and greater development interest in certain areas by both State Government and private developers particularly the City Centre. The city centre has continued to develop and evolve with new residential accommodation, hotel development proposals, changes in retailing, expansion of the visitor economy and a series of major public building projects announced, such as the Law Courts, GovHub, TAFE College expansion and so on. It is now more important than ever to bring various strategies together into a single document to provide a holistic plan to meet growing and changing community and business needs. Developing and implementing this strategy will help to facilitate appropriate development by making it clearer to all parties from the outset preferred development outcomes for the different areas of Greater Bendigo. This will help to reduce costs and planning timeframes. The MGS will help to provide a coordinated framework to enable both the City and State Government to plan for the delivery of infrastructure, so it is more closely aligned with population growth. At a fundamental level the MGS will provide direction around how the City and community would like to see Greater Bendigo change to manage population and employment growth and how this should be balanced by encouraging residential densities within established areas and rezoning land in growth areas. It will provide an appropriate forum to have a discussion around the type of city we aspire to have and the tools we can use to deliver on this aspiration.
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5. Project staging, key tasks and outputs
• Stage 1 – Background research
Timing
• August 2020-November 2020
Tasks
• Develop a high-level project scope. • Develop an engagement plan for the project. • Undertake a high-level review of existing planning and building permit data including development type, scale and location. • Undertake a high-level review of demographic and economic data around current and future growth trends.
Reporting
• Report to PCG, internal working group and Steering Committee on the findings of the data analysis and to gain agreement on the project scope and next steps. • Report to the Executive Management Team (EMT) and to a Councillor briefing to gain agreement on the project scope and next steps.
Outputs
• Preparation of a high-level project scope to be signed off by PCG, internal working group, Steering Committee, EMT and Council. • Project bulletin.
• Stage 2 – Draft Background Paper
Timing
• October 2020-June 2021
Tasks
• Prepare a detailed background paper which reviews past, current and likely future development, establishes a high level framework for how the City should develop over the next thirty years to accommodate about 80,000 more people, indicate where future jobs should locate, how movement and connection in and around the City should occur and the likely scale of infrastructure that will need to be provided to support and facilitate that development. • Survey of residents and stakeholders around a future desired City and preferences and ideas around housing, commercial, industrial and transport development, environmental and social preferences and infrastructure issues. • Review of existing Council strategies and recommendations including Residential, Housing, Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy, Connecting Greater Bendigo Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy, Plan Greater Bendigo, Greater Bendigo Industrial Land Development
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Strategy, Public Space Plan, Environment Strategy, Rural Community Strategy, Planning Scheme Review and various Structure and Township Plans, in terms of their relevance for the future development of the City • Review of existing State Government Strategies and documents including the Loddon Mallee South Regional Growth Plan, Victoria’s 30-year Infrastructure Strategy, Plan Melbourne and the Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Group Implementation Plan. • Review the current infrastructure delivery program currenting endorsed by government and key infrastructure agencies. • Review and adopt a preferred sustainability planning framework for the project • Review of local planning policy at both a State and Local level as it relates to Settlement Planning. • Background research of relevant VCAT and Panel Reports as they result to Settlement Planning. • Build on the existing demographic and economic analysis prepared for the background research scoping report to determine land supply required over and above the existing zoned supply in a variety of land use types including residential, rural residential, commercial and industrial. • Detail existing land use challenges and opportunities in different suburbs. • Density analysis of different suburbs to better understand development capacity. • Map existing areas of heritage including Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Post-Settlement. • Undertake a high-level heritage/neighbourhood character analysis of Greater Bendigo (similar to Golden Square). • Environmental analysis including: o Mapping existing environmental constraints including flooding and vegetation; o Preparing a bushfire landscape risk assessment for Greater Bendigo that identifies areas of relative low, medium and high risk and ways in which that risk could be mitigated; o Undertaking an agricultural land use study to identify areas of high agricultural value; and o Determining any areas of high ecological value. • Infrastructure analysis including mapping existing and future infrastructure needs including roads, cycle and pedestrian paths, water and sewer, landfills, transfer stations. • Undertake a community infrastructure analysis. • Map existing and planned sporting facilities and public spaces. • Consult with various agencies, stakeholders and development industry.
Reporting
• Report to PCG, internal working group, Steering Committee, EMT and Council on the background report. • Report to the community on the findings
Outputs
• Survey results. • Background Paper. • Project Bulletin. • Short term draft infrastructure plan
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• Stage 3 – Draft Managed Growth Strategy
Timing
• July 2021-January 2022
Tasks
• Draft Managed Growth Strategy building on the background work undertaken. At a minimum to include chapters around: o Population growth and change and demographics o Housing o Community and sporting infrastructure o Environment o Economic Development (including commercial floorspace) o Infrastructure • Include details around whether the urban growth boundary should be expanded or how growth will be accommodated within the existing urban growth boundary. • Develop detailed maps including at an overarching level and at a suburb by suburb basis to guide any future zone structure including the application of residential or other rezonings. • To provide a plan to stage growth area development to accommodate future growth needs in line with infrastructure delivery. • Establish a review and monitoring framework. • Assess the all key infrastructure for the municipality that under pins long term growth, including a multi criteria assessment to determine primary funding projects. • Develop an engagement plan. • Consult with various agencies, stakeholders, development industry and the community.
Reporting
• Report to PCG, internal working group, Steering Committee and EMT on the draft Managed Growth Strategy. • Report to Council to endorse draft Managed Growth Strategy for consultation.
Outputs
• Draft Managed Growth Strategy for consultation. • Draft infrastructure plan and nominated priority projects • Engagement documents. • Project bulletin.
• Stage 4 – Finalise Managed Growth Strategy
Timing
• May 2022-June 2022
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Tasks
• Finalise Managed Growth Strategy based on feedback received from consultation. • Draft Planning Scheme Amendment documentation to commence implementation including engagement with DELWP.
Reporting
• Report to PCG, internal working group, Steering Committee and EMT on the background report; • Report to Council to adopt Managed Growth Strategy and to commence Planning Scheme Amendment process.
Outputs
• Final Managed Growth Strategy. • Final infrastructure plan and nominated priority projects
PHASE 2
• Implementation of the Managed Growth Strategy
Timing
• July 2022-December 2023
Tasks
• Develop an action plan for the implementation of the Managed Growth Strategy
• Amend the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme to implement the Managed Growth Strategy. This includes: o Preparing amendment documents to the satisfaction of DELWP (fulfilling pre-exhibition conditions); o Exhibiting the amendments publicly and seek submissions in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987; o Appointing an independent planning panel to consider any unresolved submissions; o Adopting the amendment (Council decision); and o Approving the amendment (Ministerial decision).
• Establish the internal capability to adhere to the adopted policy, including reporting processes.
Reporting
• Council will make decisions during the planning scheme amendment process. These decisions are: o To seek authorisation to prepare and exhibit the amendment; o To appoint an independent planning panel to consider any unresolved submissions; and
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o To adopt (or abandon) the amendment.
• Council decisions will be escalated through EMT and Councillor briefings.
• Updates will be provided to Steering Committee, PCG and IWG.
Outputs
• An action plan to implement the Managed Growth Strategy
• An amended Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme to reflect the adopted Managed Growth Strategy
• An adopted advocacy framework for the funding of critical infrastructure projects
2020 2021 2022 Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Background Research Prepare Background Paper Draft Managed Growth Strategy Consultation Managed Growth Strategy Finalise Managed Growth Strategy Commence implementation
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6. Stakeholders
a) Internal units o Executive Management Team o Regional Sustainable Development Unit o Statutory Planning Unit o Engineering Unit o Active and Healthy Lifestyles Unit o Healthy Greater Bendigo o Communications Unit o Community Partnerships Unit o Resource Recovery o Parks and Open Space Need to get these names right • The Municipal Fire Prevention Officer and Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee as internals.
b) External o Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) o Department of Transport (DOT) o Coliban Water o North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) o Country Fire Authority (CFA) o Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) o Department of Health and Human Services o Department of Education and Training o Regional Development Victoria o Victorian Planning Authority o Regional Development Victoria o Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Aboriginal Clans Corporations o Fire Rescue Victoria o Forest Fire Management o Parks Victoria
c) Council
d) Landowners, community, development Industry including UDIA, special interest groups
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7. Engagement
It is essential that there is meaningful engagement internally, with Councillors, the community, State Government and the development industry at all stages of the process. This will include regular internal meetings, meetings with State Government agencies and presentations to Councillors and at developer forums. The broader community and stakeholders will be engaged in the process around shaping what a future Greater Bendigo may look like. This should include understanding the implications of different Council decisions. Community engagement is proposed in Stages 2 and 4, with further feedback invited through the statutory process in Stage 5.
8. Risk Assessment
The following table identifies the risks and corresponding mitigation strategies for the project.
Pre-treatment risk Residual risk assessment (post- assessment Mitigation treatment) Risk strategy Likelihood Consequence Likelihood Consequence
Project managers Medium Project delay Require Project Low Reduced impact on are unable to manager to prepare timelines deliver outcomes Reputational risk project timeline with within specified key milestones, and timeframes monitor progress regularly through catch-ups and meetings, as set out in the project plan Regular Managing Medium Could be certain communication with Medium General community expectations and developers and Council, community and development perceptions within community and development industry support for the development members pushing industry with clear the Strategy industry and own land agenda rationale as to why broader decisions have community been made
Council decides Medium Project failure Ensure regular Low Council support for not to adopt the updates to Council the Managed Growth Managed Growth including a clear Strategy and Strategy and to rationale as to why planning scheme commence the decisions have amendment planning scheme been made amendment
Establish Steering Lack of Medium Lack of Low Coordination involvement from coordination in Committee to between State and State infrastructure ensure State Local Government Government delivery Government around infrastructure Agencies Agencies are planning. involved in involved at all infrastructure and stages through the planning process
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Pre-treatment risk Residual risk assessment (post- assessment Mitigation treatment) Risk strategy Likelihood Consequence Likelihood Consequence
Ensure regular DELWP decides Medium No Low DELWP support for not to support the implementation in communication with the planning scheme planning scheme the planning DELWP. amendment amendment scheme Be prepared to amend components of the amendment as required
Establish Project Lack of ‘buy-in’ Medium Delivery of a Low Buy in from other from units within Strategy which Control Group and units who can see the City may not suit the Project Working the benefits for their needs of different Group projects. units in Council or at worst Ensure regular contradicts work briefings of different being undertaken units in the City. by other City units
9. Project Management and Governance
This project will be managed by Bridget Maplestone within the Regional Sustainable Development Unit. The project manager will attend all Steering Committee, Project Control Group and Internal Working Group meetings.
a) Steering Committee
The Steering Committee will meet at key milestones as highlighted in Section 5. Along with City representatives, the Steering Committee will include representation from a range of State Government Agencies including: • DOT • Coliban Water • DELWP • NCCMA • CFA • EPA • VPA • DHHS • DET • RDV • Dja Dja Wurrung • Taungurung The Steering Committee will be chaired by the CEO of the City. The role of the Steering Committee will be to review the documents and to ensure alignment with the delivery of infrastructure, regulation and planning. Given the nature of the project the Steering Committee will comprise senior representatives from key departments and agencies. Given the importance of integrating land use planning with water and sewer planning and provision and the progressive implementation of road, rail and active transport infrastructure together with public bus transport services, the CEO of the Council will regularly liaise with and coordinate relevant aspects of the preparation of the MGS with the CEO/Regional Director of Coliban Water and the Department of Transport on a frequent basis and as a continuing contribution to the wider wok of the Steering Committee as a whole.
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b) Project Control Group (PCG) The PCG will include high level representation including: • Director Strategy and Growth – chair • Manager Statutory Planning • Manager Regional Sustainable Development • Manager Engineering • Manager Active and Healthy Communities • Manager Community Partnerships • Coordinator Amendments and Heritage • Coordinator Public Space and Place Making • Coordinator Growth and Liveability Representative from Coliban Water, DOT and DELWP (to be confirmed). The PCG will meet at key milestones as highlighted in Section 5. The PCG will have oversight of the project and will be responsible for project sign off at each stage.
c) Project Working Group (PWG) The PWG will include representation of various officers across the organisation and will include representation from:
• Statutory Planning • Regional Sustainable Development • Active and Healthy Lifestyles • Engineering • Community Partnerships including Municipal Fire Prevention Officer
At relevant stages the following areas will also be engaged: • Communications • Resource Recovery • Financial Strategy • Governance • Parks and Open Space • Property Services
10. Reporting Requirements
Reporting Reported by To whom Frequency Format requirements
Verbal and/or Project manager Councillors Project status Bi-Monthly written
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11. Budget
The background stages of the preparation of the Managed Growth Strategy will be managed internally. Budget may be sought for the development of the Strategy in future years should consultants be required. The implementation of the Managed Growth Strategy into the planning scheme will be included in operational expenditure as part of the planning scheme amendments budget line. Costs associated with the project’s engagement plan will be included in operational expenditure as related to Strategic Planning.
12. Background documents, policy and legislation
An overview of the documents relevant to this project is provided below. Further detail of how these documents are relevant follows.
• Planning and Environment Act 1987 State • Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 Government • Victoria's 30 year Infrastructure Strategy • Victoria Planning Provisions
• Community Plan 2017-2021 • Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy 2014 • Greater Bendigo Housing Strategy 2016 • Affordable Housing Action Plan (currently being prepared) • Public Space Plan 2019 City of • Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy 2015 Greater • Connecting Greater Bendigo Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy 2015 Bendigo • Greater Bendigo Industrial Land Development Strategy 2020 • Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy 2016-2021 • Local Planning Policy (Planning Scheme) • Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 • Local plans (such as precinct structure plans) and DCPs
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a) State Government
• Planning and Environment Act 1987
Part 3 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 outlines how a planning scheme can be amended.
• Plan Melbourne 2017-2050
Outcome 7 of Plan Melbourne relates to investment in regional Victoria and includes supporting housing and economic growth.
• Victoria’s 30-year Infrastructure Strategy
The first Infrastructure Strategy was developed in 2016 and is currently being reviewed. The Strategy highlights the importance of maximising existing infrastructure and reducing urban sprawl. It also identifies the importance of affordable housing.
• Victoria Planning Provisions
The Victoria Planning Provisions are a comprehensive set of planning provisions which apply to all municipal planning schemes in Victoria including Greater Bendigo.
A planning scheme is the statutory document which regulates use and development of land.
b) City of Greater Bendigo
• Community Plan 2017-2021
The Community Plan is Council’s four-year plan that works to achieve the vision of creating the world’s most liveable community. The Community Plan will commence in the first six months of the next Council term commencing in October 2020. There are a number of objectives within the Community Plan of relevance to the Managed Growth Strategy including: • 2.1 Create a much healthier Greater Bendigo • 3.1 Support our local businesses and industry to be strong, vibrant and to grow and develop • 4.1 Plan for a growing population • 4.2 Plan to meet future housing needs • 4.3 Continue to implement strategies that increase the capacity of transport networks to better move people and goods and encourages walking, cycling and the use of public transport • 4.5 Provide and maintain urban and rural infrastructure to support the liveability of our community • 5.1 Drawing on the One Planet Living* framework to connect the health of the natural environment to the health and prosperity of our community • 6.1 Celebrate our unique heritage • 6.2 Build pride in and shared responsibility for our public spaces
• Residential Strategy 2014
The Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy provides a framework for managing residential development for the whole municipality. This includes establishing an urban growth boundary. The Residential Strategy was
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adopted in 2014. It is now timely to review this strategy as part of the Managed Growth Strategy to ensure it addresses the long-term housing needs of the community.
• Greater Bendigo Housing Strategy (GBHS) 2016
The GBHS builds on the Residential Strategy by providing greater guidance on the form and type of housing in Greater Bendigo and includes some information around future housing growth areas. The GBHS provides recommendations for the Low Density Residential and Farming Zoned land within the urban growth boundary in Bendigo.
• Public Space Plan 2019
The Public Space Plan is a 50-year plan which provides recommendations around existing and future public space in Greater Bendigo. Aims of the plan are to:
o Set out a conceptual vision for public space in Greater Bendigo o Provide strategic guidance for planning and provision, uses and management, funding and investment, major policy issues and implementation priorities o Establish a framework of standards for access, quality, maintenance and design
• Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy 2015 (CLACS)
CLACS provides directions for how each of the activity centres in Greater Bendigo are planned and developed over a 15-year period. This includes directions around additional floorspace required for different activity centres. Given six years have passed since CLACS was prepared it is timely to consider if there needs to be changes around the recommendations for the different centres and around floorspace.
• Connecting Greater Bendigo Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy (ITLUS) 2015
ITLUS sets out directions to move Greater Bendigo away from the use of private vehicles for all trips. Of particular relevance to the Managed Growth Strategy is that ITLUS promotes the concept of 10-minute neighbourhoods where residents can access most services including employment and educational facilities within 10 minutes to reduce the need for driving. The Managed Growth Strategy will need to build on these principles.
• Greater Bendigo Industrial Land Development Strategy GBILDS 2020
The GBILDS provides a framework to deliver a 30-year supply of industrial land in Greater Bendigo including identifying a need for a minimum of 170ha over and above existing supply. It provides recommendations for each of the existing industrial precincts in Greater Bendigo as well as key requirements in considering land for future development. The Managed Growth Strategy will need to include any identified sites for future industrial land.
• Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy 2016-2021
The Environment Strategy adopts the One Planet Living principles. This focuses on taking a holistic approach to managing the environment including considering health and wellbeing, access and transport,
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economy and equity and reducing waste. It will be important to embed these principles within the Managed Growth Strategy.
• Planning Scheme Review
The Planning Scheme Review identified the need for a settlement network and hierarchy to appropriately guide future development in a coordinate and efficient way. It recommended preparing a Municipal Settlement Strategy as a high priority.
• Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021
This strategy relates closely in particular to Goal 5 (Liveable) within the Greater Bendigo’s Health and Wellbeing Plan. This includes having access to natural, built, social and economic environments that promote wellbeing.
• Local plans (such as precinct structure plans)
Where applicable, local plans need to be considered when preparing the Managed Growth Strategy as they will provide the more detailed suburb level direction for different areas. The Managed Growth Strategy will need to be consistent with these plans.
13. Brief Approval
Executive Management Team Meeting
**End of document**
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