Quick Facts
- An increase in housing quantity and diversity of housing types for different needs
- An increase in jobs and economic opportunity
- Longer term retail sustainability
- An increase in health services and educational opportunities
- More volunteers
- Greater cultural diversity
- Which areas are best suited for residential and industrial growth in the medium and long term?
- Are current land use zonings the right ones?
- How can environmental risks such as flooding and bushfire be managed appropriately when identifying areas for development?
- What planning measures can be put in place to best manage potential conflict between residential and industrial uses?
- What are the key attributes and character aspects of local areas that need to be considered when contemplating change and growth?
- What infrastructure and servicing requirements will need to be addressed to support increased growth and ensure the liveability of the community?
- Rural Living Zone (RLZ) to the north of Maryborough known as Maryborough North
- All industrial zoned land within Maryborough East and Flagstaff
- All General Residential Zone land within Carisbrook and some surrounding RLZ land
Why is residential growth beneficial for Central Goldfields?
Supporting growth continues to be a focus for Council in line with community expectation and because of the benefits that growth can bring is:
What is the Land Use Framework Plan (LUFP) project?
The Land Use Framework Plan (LUFP) project aims to identify housing growth options for Maryborough North (and East), Flagstaff and Carisbrook where environmental risks can be managed.
This document assists in identifying areas that can assist Council in meeting its statutory obligation to provide a minimum of 15 years land supply.
Council has engaged a team of specialist consultants (Hansen Partnership and SGS Economics and Planning) to undertake this project.
What is the Rural Living Zone Review (URLO) project?
The Rural Living Zone Review (URLO) has investigated the capacity of rural living zone areas around Maryborough, Flagstaff and Carisbrook to support smaller lots. This includes the ability to be serviced or contain waste on site and consideration of environmental risks such as flood and fire.
This document supports the Land Use Planning Framework and is also being undertaken by Hansen Partnership.
What is the background to the Land Use Framework Plan and Rural Living Zone Review projects?
In early 2022, Council received funding from the Victorian Planning Authority under the 'Streamlining for Growth 2021 - 2022' program to prepare the Land Use Framework Plan. The plan will implement the recommendations of previously adopted Council strategies including the Planning Scheme Review, the Population, Housing and Residential Settlement Strategy 2020 and the Industrial Land Supply and Demand Assessment and Strategy 2021.
Additional funding has been provided under the 'Streamlining for Growth' program to undertake the Rural Living Zone Review project.
Why are the LUFP and URLO projects important?
It is important to ensure that there is an appropriate supply of land to meet the housing and employment needs of the community.
While Central Goldfields has significant areas zoned for residential, commercial, industrial and rural residential use changes in planning provisions and policies can make some land difficult to develop.
These projects begin the process of determining what land is needed for future growth and what future structure planning and assessments are required to support to change the planning scheme to facilitate future growth in areas where environmental risks can be managed and land use conflicts minimised.
The documents have considered :
For more information see the draft Recommendations Papers.
What areas are covered by the projects?
The precincts for the Land Use Framework Plan are within the area of investigation were previously identified in Council's Population, Housing and Residential Strategy 2020 and Industrial Land Supply and Demand Assessment and Strategy (2021). These include:
The Rural Living Zones Review looks at the rural living zoned settlements surrounding Maryborough, Flagstaff and Carisbrook and their suitability to achieve greater density of development than currently envisaged in the planning scheme.
What are the next steps?
Given that both the LUFP and URLO projects often have similar communities of interest Council is seeking feedback on both documents.
The feedback obtained during the issues and opportunities consultation phase has been used alongside the knowledge and information provided in the Issues and Opportunities Paper and other technical reports to develop a draft Land Use Framework Plan (LUFP).
Council will consider the feedback from this stage of consultation prior to adoption of the Land Use Framework Plan and the Rural Living Zones Review. Following their adoption Council will seek to amend the Planning Scheme to reference the documents and key policy implementation actions. Further changes will required additional detailed investigations to support future rezoning of land.