Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT Dowling Forest Precinct Equine Industry The Dowling Forest Precinct is the home of thoroughbred training within the Ballarat region, and the economic and business growth opportunities linked with the growth of the equine industry in Miners Rest are extremely important to the future of the town. Ballarat is one of five training centres that have ‘Tier 1’ status in Victoria and one of three in regional Victoria, along with Cranbourne and Mornington. Horse training facilities exceed other public training centres in Victoria, which has resulted in a rapid expansion in the number of horses trained at Miners Rest in recent years. Racing Victoria has identified Miners Rest as a key training centre for growth and expansion in the future. Council recognises the importance of the equine industry to Miners Rest and Ballarat more broadly, and has sought to support and protect it within the Dowling Forest Precinct. This has involved Council introducing site specific planning controls, including the application of the Special Use Zone (SUZ) to the Dowling Forest Racecourse Reserve (and surrounding land along Kennedys Road), and introduced further modifications to the Farming Zone (FZ). Council has applied strong land use controls to protect and encourage horse training in the Dowling Forest Precinct is critical to securing the future of the horse racing industry in Ballarat, where it has been estimated that the economic benefit of thoroughbred racing in the region would be in the order of $60 million. Downing Forest Precinct Ballarat City Council 9 360 Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT 9/12/2017 Print - PhotoMaps by nearmap Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2017 Notes: Ballarat Airport Although not located within the study area, Ballarat Airport is located immediately to the south of Miners Rest and is considered to be an infrastructure asset of regional significance. While the Airport does not provide for commercial passengers, it currently serves a role for training purposes as well as functioning as a hub for regional emergency services. Noting its regional role, it is important to ensure its long-term viability and potential future expansion is not compromised by incompatible land use and development on surrounding land, such as sensitive residential uses. Currently an airport related planning overlay applies to land surrounding the Airport, which indicates potential for aircraft noise. Refer to Figure 4 - Overlay Map. The broad role and purpose of the overlay is to identify land subject to elevated levels of aircraft noise and to ensure land use and development are compatible with airport operations; in addition to limiting people residing in the area likely to be subject to significant levels of aircraft noise. This overlay currently extends into the Miners Rest study area and particularly over parts of Macarthur Park and a small section of land south of Cummins Road. Should the operations of the Airport be expanded in future the area of land within Miners Rest subject to aircraft noise could potentially be increased. Such potential impacts are important considerations in future land use decisions. Ballarat Airport located immediately to the south/ south west of Miners Rest 10 Ballarat City Council 361 http://maps.au.nearmap.com/print?north=-37.48936186989719&east=143.8274071318914&south=-37.520410729922816&west=143.75715471337332&zoom=15&date=20170418 1/1 Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT Miners Rest Community Park & Miners Rest Soldiers Memorial Ballarat City Council 11 362 Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT Initial Community Consultation The ‘What You Said?’ Report Imagine: Community consultation was undertaken at the The ‘What You Said?’ Report provides a documented ▪ Provision of more retail shops, cafés, chemist, doctors’ commencement of the project. This included a community summary of received feedback. surgery etc. workshop/ drop in session held between 4pm to 7pm, Tuesday 21st March, 2017 at the Miners Rest Primary The top responses to the three key questions included: ▪ Provision of a sporting hub including sports ovals, netball courts, bowling club, leisure centre, gym, School (10 Dundas Street, Miners Rest). In addtion a Love: community survey/ questionnaire was circulated to all swimming pool/ waterpark, café etc. Miners Rest residents. ▪ The country atmosphere and local environment of the ▪ Provision of improved park facilities including, paths town, with it being quiet and peaceful. and play equipment (swings, slides, toilet blocks, BBQ In order to guide input into the consultation process, three equipment, drinking taps etc.). questions were posed to the Miners Rest community, which ▪ The sense of community spirit, with diverse age groups, included: from young families to retirees. ▪ Development of more walking and bike tracks to ▪ Close proximity to Ballarat but still feels like a country connect different parts of the town, as well as Ballarat • What do you love about Miners Rest? town. and the surrounding region (including from MacArthur • What do you imagine for Miners Rest? Park into Miners Rest, and open Nelson Street past ▪ Being family-orientated and a positive place to raise the quarry to connect to the school). • What do you want to retain in Miners Rest? children, as it is a relaxed, safe and has a caring community. ▪ Implementation of better traffic management within Following the completion of the consultation process, a and surrounding the town, including more formalised ‘What You Said?’ summary report was prepared to document ▪ The open rural landscapes and wider views to Mount roads. the range of commentary, and provide a detailed summary Rowan and towards the Pyrenees. ▪ Provision of a true town centre/ village centre to and analysis of written submissions and verbal commentary ▪ The pub, supermarket, corner store and post office as provide a focal point for the town. received. positive town assets. Retain: ▪ Miners Rest provides country living with city access and being a ‘satellite’ community to Ballarat with no industry or ▪ The rural nature, community focus and small town feel commercialisation. ▪ The friendly, safe and thriving country feel. ▪ Parklands and open spaces. ▪ Large blocks, avoiding high-density housing. ▪ Existing commercial facilities. 12 Ballarat City Council 363 Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT Draft Vision & Objectives Draft Objectives ▪ To support and promote the continuation and expansion of the equestrian industry and supporting business activates. The ‘What You Said’ Report also included a Draft Vision and ▪ To explore opportunities for the potential growth of Draft Key Objectives for the Miner’s Rest Township Plan. the township without compromising its compact rural ▪ To minimise pedestrian and vehicular conflict zones, township character within a wider landscape setting. including within the streets surrounding the primary The Draft Vision and Draft Key Objectives have been used to school. inform this Issues and Opportunites Report. ▪ To protect and enhance the established format of existing housing stock, which predominantly consists of single ▪ To improve street amenity through planned targeted The Draft Vision and Draft Key Objectives nomianted in the detached dwellings on larger landscaped allotments. streetscape planting. ‘What You Said’ Report are quoted below. ▪ To explore opportunities for the provision of a more diverse Draft Vision range housing types to suit lifestyle choices and assist aging in place. In 2040 Miners Rest will be: ▪ To manage and appropriately respond to the impact of ▪ A family orientated rural township with a friendly and flooding throughout Miners Rest. inclusive community spirit. ▪ To develop a township heart through the definition and ▪ A compact and contained township functioning as a strengthening of the commercial/ retail role, including separate ‘satellite’ settlement to Ballarat. provision of clear urban and built form guidance for future ▪ A township character which is positively influenced by development. location within a broader open rural landscape. ▪ To encourage new forms of residential and commercial ▪ A township with ample commercial uses and activities development on vacant land Mixed Use Zone land. serving the day to day needs of the local community. ▪ To facilitate new and appropriately located sporting, ▪ A vibrant, inviting, attractive and clean township with well- recreational and community infrastructure to benefit the designed, tree-lined streetscapes and pedestrian/ cycle overall township. connections linking all major community hubs (incl. primary ▪ To improve pedestrian and cyclist mobility and school, community hall/s, recreation reserves, sports ovals infrastructure throughout the township, including links to etc.). commercial and community activity nodes. ▪ A township recognised and celebrated for its significant equestrian industry. ▪ A township with ample public transport options and safely managed vehicle traffic. Ballarat City Council 13 364 Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT Miners Rest CFA Miners Rest IGA Supermarket Miners Rest Kindergarten Miners Rest Primary School Existing bus stop: Howe Street 14 Ballarat City Council 365 Miners Rest Township Plan | Issues and Opportunities | DRAFT Miners Rest Tavern Miners Rest Quarry - facing north Miners Rest Community Hall Miners Rest General Store Commercial Development: west side