Housing and Planning Delivering Plan for Victoria - $2.3 million
The ask - $2.3 million
$2.3 million for planning reforms to meet housing targets and provide affordable and social housing while also identifying, protecting and promoting our heritage as we prepare for World Heritage Listing.
Background
Central Goldfields has the lowest SEIFA scores for relative socio-economic disadvantage in Victoria. Affordable housing, education and training, and employment opportunities are critical to addressing this disadvantage.
Council with Government support has prepared a Land Use Framework Plan for the Maryborough to Carisbrook area, and for Talbot. Plan for Victoria has established a target of 1700 dwell ings but fails to identify the role Maryborough plays in regional services and industrial employment, with major food processing industries in Maryborough.
Central Goldfields is part of the Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid. Council is currently reliant on studies from the late 1980s and early 1990s before the current planning system and framework of historical themes.
Understanding our places of significance and being able to share those stories will be critical to new employment opportunities.
The brief
Housing Employers have identified housing as a key issue impact ing the recruitment and retention of staff, and cost-of living pressures are also impacting housing affordability.
The land use frameworks have shown that Talbot and Carisbrook North are the key sites for future residential development in the Shire and Flagstaff as the main location for future industrial development.
The framework planning has highlighted the challenges to planning for growth and employment in the municipality. There is no land available for growth in Maryborough and there are no expansion options within Maryborough (fire risk) or Carisbrook (flooding).
Elevated land at Carisbrook North has been identified as the major future growth area for the municipality with support from the CMA and CFA to continue investigations.
A detailed structure plan including technical assessments and a planning scheme amendment is required to progress this area to meet the Victoria Government’s housing targets.
Talbot can accommodate some growth once the area is connected to sewer. Assistance is required to deliver critical service infrastructure upgrades.
Employment and Activity Centres
Maryborough Town Centre supports the local region for major retail, health and professional services which also provide employment opportunities.
Support is required to review the zoning of the central areas to unlock opportunities to provide new employment opportunities and identify and support the delivery of affordable and social housing opportunities around the Central Goldfields Shire Council commercial area and station precinct.
Industrial development in Flagstaff is limited by service restrictions and environmental issues. A framework plan focusing on service delivery, consideration of cultural heritage management and the preparation of a native vegetation precinct plans will support private sector investment / employment creation in this area between Maryborough and Carisbrook population centres.
Expansion of bus services to Flagstaff, Carisbrook and Carisbrook North is required.
Heritage
Council does not have a shire-wide heritage study undertaken to current statutory requirements. In 2005 a review of the former shire studies was undertaken and priority actions identified.
The Maryborough Heritage Review is the only priority identified that has been progressed.
Support is needed from Heritage Victoria to fast track assessment of gold-related sites in the Shire for inclusion in the World Heritage Listing bid and to support the tourism, economic development and employment opportunities to capitalise on this. Central Goldfields must be central to the Victorian Goldfields heritage story.
Funding is required for:
■ Delivery of detailed structure plans and technical assessments for future growth areas to support potential rezoning, including development contributions and design controls.
■ Preparation of a Structure Plan for Flagstaff, identifying how to deliver infrastructure services and to assess Aboriginal cultural heritage and native vegetation for incorporation into the planning scheme to determine how development can occur on land already zoned for industrial development.
■ Funding of sewer services to Talbot.
■ Establish a bus service between Maryborough Station, Flagstaff, Carisbrook and Carisbrook North.
■ Housing activation / activity centre: Conduct feasibility testing of identified infill and intensification sites, prioritise early yield opportunities, undertake developer partnerships, prepare concept plans and medium density design guidance.
■ Heritage: Provision of funding to support the assessment of sites linked to the Victorian Goldfields bid for potential inclusion on the VHR.
The benefits
✓ Provide the strategic basis for delivering the Victorian Government’s Housing Target.
✓ Increase the range of affordable housing options close to jobs, transport and services
✓ Heritage-led economic development related to the Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Listing bid