Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy

22 October 2014 | V.03 (Amended March 2016)

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Foreword

The Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy (GBRS) is one of the City of Greater Bendigo’s principal strategies. It is a forward-looking document designed to plan for and manage the future residential development of the whole municipality. It is a long term statement about the preferred future for residential development. It provides a detailed implementation program to cover at least the next twenty years but looks at growth beyond that horizon. The GBRS has been developed over a two-year period and is the result of considerable research and consultation. It reflects the requirements of state government policy, the assessed current and projected needs of the Bendigo community in terms of housing and residential development, the role of residential development as a major economic driver in the city, and the social and environmental values and needs of Bendigo and its community in respect to residential development. The GBRS comprises two volumes together with supporting background information: • Volume 1 (this document) is the Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy (October 2014). • Volume 2 is the Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy – Analysis, Strategy and Implementation

(October 2014). The supporting background documents comprise: • Stage 1 Audit Report (January 2012) • Physical Infrastructure and Natural Environment Features Identification (August 2012) • Demographic Background Paper (November 2012) • Land Supply Assessment (February 2013) • Issues and Options Paper (March 2013) • Site Assessment Report (November 2013) • Housing Needs Analysis (March 2014) • Residential Building Construction Economic Analysis (March 2014) • Loddon Mallee South Regional Growth Plan (May 2014) • Plan Melbourne (May 2914) All these documents are available on Council’s website relating to the Residential Strategy at: http://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/Residents_and_Services/Strategy_unit/Current_Projects/Residential_Development_Strategy_Review.

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Background of the Strategy

Greater Bendigo is Victoria’s largest inland regional city with a population approaching 110,000 persons and serving a total regional population in excess of 200,000.

• The City of Greater Bendigo has a diverse and growing economy with a focus on health, education, manufacturing, banking, finance, arts and tourism.

• The City has sustained one of the highest population growth rates in the state, particularly through inward migration. This population growth represents a significant demand for new housing. Between 2014 and 2031 Greater Bendigo needs to build an average of 820 dwellings per annum to meet forecast demand. Residential development is now a major component of the economy.

• The housing preferences and needs of the city’s population are changing. The population is ageing and the number of single and two person households is forecast to grow from 51.9% of all households in 2011 to 57.2% by 2031. At the 2011 census for example couples and single parents with children were only 39.5% of all households.

• Currently about 15% of Greater Bendigo’s demand for new dwellings is being met by development in small towns like Heathcote, Elmore, Marong and Axedale and development in rural areas.

• In recent years about 40% of the housing development has been met by infill development in existing older areas.

Council has delivered on its Bendigo Residential Development Strategy (2004), including supporting new housing development in established areas and structure planning for new neighbourhoods in Jackass Flat, Huntly, Strathfieldsaye, Maiden Gully North East and early planning for Marong. This pattern of development across Bendigo is not by chance. It reflects the balance between catering for growth and respecting established community values (that are expressed through the outcomes of community engagement but also legislation). These values include the importance of the surrounding forest, the significance of Bendigo’s heritage, and a strong desire for enhanced liveability, connectivity and accessibility. Community values have also changed, and in some respects are amplified by increased risk, vulnerability and the need for community resilience. The population growth of Greater Bendigo during the life of the 2004 strategy has increased at a rate higher than anticipated. The State government through Plan Melbourne (2014) is expecting regional centres like Bendigo will increase their share of population growth. The State and City have adopted the Loddon Mallee South Regional Growth Plan which includes an aspirational target population of 200,000 for the City of Greater Bendigo by 2041. The 200,000 is likely to be reached by the early 2050’s if a 1.6% growth rate is extrapolated. In addition to the higher than anticipated population growth and an aspirational population of 200,000 figure there have been other changes that impact on how we will grow into the future. These include new regulations (such as those resulting from the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission), an evolving community desire for better planning outcomes such as a major focus on planning for health and integrating transport and land use, and the growing popularity of smaller lots and infill development in established areas. There is a need to ensure the strategy manages change over time and that we plan to create the great places and neighbourhoods that our community want in both urban Bendigo and our smaller townships. The Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy has been prepared so as to complement and reinforce the Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy.

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Our Vision:

Greater Bendigo – Working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city. What is liveability? The McCaughey Centre at Melbourne University defines liveability as reflecting “the wellbeing of a community and comprises many characteristics that make a location a place where people want to live now and in the future”. The Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy, together with other strategies such as Connecting Greater Bendigo - Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy, Economic Development Strategy, Open Space Strategy and Commercial Strategy all play a significant role in delivering this vision. What we do know is that continuing to grow as we have done in the past by creating sprawling car dependent communities in areas subject to environmental risk is unsustainable, not supported by the community and will not achieve the liveability agenda. A new approach is needed where there is greater diversity in housing types, greater choice in transport options and where people can more readily access their daily needs – this is best achieved by promoting a compact city surrounded by a network of well-connected small towns. This new strategy addresses Greater Bendigo’s next twenty years of residential growth and provides a framework for the longer term.

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The focus for new residential growth will be inside the

existing defined Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) area a nd

encourage and provide for further residential devel opment of

the City’s townships, in particular Marong, Elmore, Axedale

and Heathcote.

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The Strategy

The following are the key policy directions of the Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy that will guide future residential growth within Greater Bendigo:

Managing Growth • Provide for the residential development needs of a 20-year forecast population of the City of

Greater Bendigo up to 150,000 people and indicate where population growth of up to 200,000 people could be accommodated.

• Support the residential development of Bendigo as implementing government policy as set out

in Plan Melbourne and the Loddon-Mallee South Regional Growth Plan. • Ensure that the Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy supports, implements and complements

Connecting Greater Bendigo – Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy and the Greater Bendigo Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy.

• Provide for approximately 85% of residential growth within the Bendigo UGB and 15% in the

City’s small towns, principally Heathcote, Marong, Elmore and Axedale, and those rural areas zoned to support residential development.

• Maintain and strengthen the UGB and review its alignment in 2024. • Ensure that residential development continues to provide for a wide range of housing types and

lot sizes to maintain housing choice and affordability. • Strongly support the provision of high quality, well designed, medium density residential

development given the low levels of provision of this form of housing, the needs of an ageing population and the fact that more than 50% of households comprise only one or two persons and that this proportion is forecast to grow higher.

• Continue to provide for planned new residential development within the existing UGB and

maintain Bendigo’s character setting as the ‘City in the Forest’, in the existing urban areas and in the residentially zoned greenfield areas of Jackass Flat, Maiden Gully, Strathfieldsaye, Epsom and Huntly.

• Provide for the sequential rezoning of land in a timely manner to residential within the

greenfield areas of the UGB where land is currently designated for residential development, that ensures a continuing supply of zoned land commensurate with demonstrated demand.

• Rezone areas for residential development within the UGB that are zoned Farming, Low Density

Residential or incorrectly zoned where these areas are supported by infrastructure and not subject to flooding or other environmental constraints.

Residential Choice, Quality and Design • Provide for high quality, well designed, medium density residential development of two to four

stories that respects existing heritage settings and neighbourhood character; � in and around the Bendigo City Centre, including Bridge Street leading to the Bendigo

Hospital Precinct, � in and around the commercial activity areas and urban villages of Eaglehawk, Golden

Square, Kangaroo Flat, La Trobe University –Strathdale – Kennington Village and the railway stations at the Bendigo City Centre, Kangaroo Flat, Eaglehawk, Epsom and the proposed railway station at Huntly, and

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� in a limited number of suitable sites along the Calder and Midland Highways which is the City’s highest priority public transport, cycling and walking route linking Kangaroo Flat and Huntly to the City Centre.

• Plan and design existing residential areas and new residential subdivisions and housing

estates to ensure that they support their local community identity through the provision of:

� accessible open space and parks, � community and neighborhood scale retail facilities and services, � local employment, and � convenient and frequent public transport

to ensure that all of Bendigo’s residential areas are able to function as Complete (10 minute) Neighbourhoods - places where most daily household needs can be accessed by a ten minute walk or conveniently and safely by bicycle.

• Facilitate the utilisation of significant infill and urban renewal sites with new innovative forms of

housing, residential development and community focused neighbourhoods with an initial focus on land commonly referred to as ‘the Chum Street site’ and progressively focusing on a series of other publicly owned sites that have development potential.

• Actively work with the community and the development industry to increase the community

acceptance of well-designed and sited medium density housing. • Support continuing residential development as a major component of the Bendigo economy

and the provision of employment. • Prepare residential design guidelines that provide for high quality residential development at a

scale relevant to:

� the role and character of each area, � the heritage values of Bendigo’s older neighbourhoods, � the environmental setting of sites, � the relationship with existing and planned community and commercial facilities. and � the development of a network of Complete (10 minute) Neighbourhoods across the existing

urban area. Implementation • Prepare a Greater Bendigo Housing Strategy to identify the application and implementation of

the suite of new Residential Zones in accordance with government policy requirements. • Undertake an annual housing audit to monitor the supply of residential development against

demand and ensure that there is an adequate supply of housing provided to meet Bendigo’s demand.

• Prepare Precinct Structure Plans for Marong, Heathcote and Elmore • In order to accommodate for population growth beyond 150,000 persons to a projected

200,000 persons, undertake forward planning to determine the suitability of areas for residential development with a focus on: � the north west of Maiden Gully including providing for the development of a railway station, � the east and south of Strathfieldsaye, and � the east and southeast of Huntly.

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Residential Development Objectives The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy (2004) outlined a number of development objectives that set out the intentions for future residential development. The need to have clearly articulated objectives for residential development is important. These objectives drive the strategic direction and implementation of the Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy. The following objectives are based on those in the 2004 strategy, but have been modified in response to issues that have arisen during the consultation process and the need to promote urban consolidation. They have been grouped under 4 themes that underpin the strategy. Compact Bendigo • To ensure that new developments are complementary to existing areas of heritage or

neighbourhood character values. • To ensure that medium and higher density housing is of high quality design. • To protect the environmental assets of Greater Bendigo and in particular Crown Land and

areas with significant biodiversity values. • To avoid development in areas of higher levels of risk from bushfire and flooding.

Connected Bendigo • To promote more intensive residential development proximate to activity centres and along

major transport corridors and nodes. • To ensure residential areas are accessible by a variety of transport modes. • To promote the intensive development of sites that are accessible by a variety of transport

modes.

Healthy Bendigo • To create communities that promotes social interaction and healthy living. • To achieve high levels of community safety. • To ensure that open space and the public domain are attractive and accessible. • To ensure new development demonstrates high levels of sustainability and builds community

resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Housing Bendigo • To provide for a range of housing types and densities that responds to the changing needs of

the community. • To provide and support affordable housing opportunities.

The following pages set out the key policy directions, objectives and actions that will guide future residential growth within Greater Bendigo and are derived from the Residential Development Objectives.

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Objective

•Compact Bendigo

Context

•The UGB is a tool to manage the City’s outward growth and avoid sprawl by directing

development into planned growth areas and away from senstive areas.

•There is land within the UGB not currently zoned for urban purposes that may suitable

for development, such as the former mine site at Chum Street.

•The Loddon Mallee South Regional Growth Plan and Plan Melbourne both forecast the need for Bendigo to have accelerated population growth.

Directions

•Retain and strengthen the UGB as a strategic and statutory planning tool.

•Encourage the efficient use of land within the UGB, including infill development while carefully managing any environmental risk and respecting the character of the area.

•Continue to support development in Jackass Flat, Huntly, Strathfieldsaye and Maiden

Gully growth areas and small towns.

•Maintain "non urban" breaks within or on the edge of the UGB.

Actions

•Prepare a Housing Strategy to implement the key strategic directions of this strategy.

•No changes to the UGB until 2024 unless supported by a structure planning process.

•Review the supply of land available for residential development.

•Prepare structure plans for Marong, Heathcote and Elmore to guide development.

•Support the implementation of the Loddon Mallee South Regional Growth Plan

Monitoring

•The "State of Housing" report will annually monitor the short term supply of land to

ensure there is a steady supply of land available for residential development.

•Bring the next review of the UGB forward if deemed necessary.

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Objective

• Connected Bendigo

Context

• A Complete (10 minute) Neighbourhood ensures that residents can access

some (not necessarily all) of their daily needs within a 10 minute walk or

cycle from where they live.

• The Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy is being prepared and will

provide "a framework for how people and goods will move around Bendigo".

Directions

• Promote higher density and diversity on sites that demonstrate high levels of

accessibility and proximity to activity centres and nodes such as the

university and hospital precincts.

• Ensure proper integration of growth area planning and transport planning.

Actions

• Appoint a Residential Development Facilitator to identify key development

sites and get them "market ready".

• Ongoing investment in sustainable transport infrastructure.

• Prepare UDF's for activitiy centres to identify sites for higher density living.

• Use planning scheme tools to integrate land use and transport planning.

Monitoring

• Document decision making that is not consistent with the Strategy as part of

the annual State of Housing Report.

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Objective

• Healthy Bendigo

Context

• The built environment impacts on peoples health and wellbeing and

obesity related diseases costs the national economy billions each year.

• The Heart Foundation have prepared "Healthy by Design" that are a

guide to planning for environments that promote healthy living.

Directions

• Support proposals that promote health and wellbeing.

• Ensure that planning for health is part of the structure planning and

master planning process.

Actions

• Prepare a Design and Development Overlay based on the "Healthy by

Design Guidelines" (Heart Foundation).

• Prepare a Social Housing policy.

Monitoring

• Use the Greater Bendigo Liveability Indicators to monitor

improvements in health and wellbeing.

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Objective

• Housing Bendigo

Context

• Provide for a population of 150,000+ over a 20 year period.

• There is a lack of diversity in housing choice with a significant mismatch

between the housing stock and the needs of households.

• The quality of the design of the building stock, open space and the public

domain is an important contributor to liveability.

• 15% of new housing occurs in small towns and rural areas.

Directions

• Support high quality, well designed higher density residential development,

especially in accessible locations, such as the City Centre, University precinct

and Village Centres.

• Maintain Greater Bendigo's level of housing affordability compared to other

regional cities

Actions

• Prepare Design Guidelines for higher density housing, open space and the

public domain.

• To have 3000 people living within 1km of the Bendigo Post Office by 2030.

• Introduce the Residential Growth Zone following the Housing Strategy.

• Work with the community and development industry to increase acceptance

of well designed and sited medium density housing.

Monitoring

• Establish a process to capture information on the diversity of housing being

built and report this as part of the annual State of Housing Report.

• Report on Bendigo's level of housing affordability compared to other

regional cities.

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Implementation Table

Action No Council Plan

Ref Action Priority Timeline

GBRS1.0 2.3.1 Commence Planning Scheme Amendment process to implement the strategy that will include:

• Changes to the MSS consistent with the strategy. • Amend Clause 22.01 (Urban-Forest Interface Policy) to reflect current Department of Environment and Primary

Industry requirements. • Rezone land in Huntly to the north of Sawmill Road that was identified in the Huntly Township Plan but not yet

rezoned. • Rezone land in Strathfieldsaye to the south of Strathfieldsaye Road and east of Emu Creek Road that was

identified in the Strathfieldsaye Township Plan but yet rezoned. This will not include land affected by the buffer to the poultry farm off Mannes Lane.

• Removal of the DPO4 from land in Regent Park, Strathfieldsaye. • Rezone land bounded by Goynes Road, Buckland and Saade Street and Montis Lane, Epsom from a Farming

Zone to a General Residential Zone. • Remove the minimum lot size requirements from parts of Precinct 6 in Maiden Gully.*

High 2014/15

GBRS2.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objective 4

Commence preparation of a Housing Strategy that will:

• Better identify the (diversity of housing needed to link to the use of the new zones) • Justification of the sites identified for higher density housing. • Identify key infill sites with the UGB, including land zoned Farming and Low Density Residential. • Detail the location of the UGB in accordance with the recommendations of the IAC and Council’s adopted

position. • Investigate the cost of different settlement patterns specific to the City of Greater Bendigo. • Consider the application of the Mixed Use Zone and Green Wedge A Zone. • Investigate the direction for longer term residential growth – to accommodate 200,000 persons – consistent

with the Panel finding. • Investigate planning scheme tools and other inducements to promote housing affordability. • Strategically justify the application of the new residential zones.**

High 2014/15

GBRS3.0 Theme 3, Strategic Objective 1

Commence preparation of a revised Open Space Strategy that will guide the future development of open space areas within the COGB.*

High 2015/16

GBRS4.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objective 4

Review the Residential Land Supply Audit in consultation with the development industry to determine the actual level of land supply and commence the annual State of Housing report.

High 2015/16

GBRS5.0 Theme 2, Strategic

Prepare Design Guidelines for new residential development and to “raise the bar” in terms of built form, open space High 2015/16

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Objective 4 and the public domain

GBRS6.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objectives 1 - 4

Engage a Development Facilitator to identify key development sites and get them “market ready”. Medium 2015/16

GBRS7.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objective. 4Theme 3, Strategic Objective 1

An ongoing program of preparing Urban Design Frameworks for various activity centres:

1. Strathfieldsaye* 2. Maiden Gully* 3. High Street, Bendigo 4. Epsom (given the impending opening of the Train Station) 5. Strathdale/University Precinct 6. Kangaroo Flat (incl Train Station) 7. Golden Square (need to factor in potential reopening of the train station)

Medium Ongoing

GBRS8.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objective 4

Marong Precinct Structure Plan – build upon the findings of the Marong Plan and other investigation reports to develop a detailed Precinct Structure Plan that will see Marong develop into a township of 8,000+ people.

Medium 2015/16

GBRS9.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objectives 1 and 4.

Heathcote Township Plan – provide a framework for the growth that will also protect the unique character Medium 2016/17

GBRS10.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objectives 1 and 4.

Elmore Township Plan – provide a framework for the growth that will also protect the unique character Medium 2016/17

GBRS11.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objective 4.

Review the supply of Low Density Residential and Farming Zoned land within the UGB to determine its suitability for residential development.

Low 2017/18

GBRS12.0 Theme 2, Strategic Objective 4

Prepare a Social Housing Policy – in consultation with various stakeholders prepare a plan that addresses social housing issues and shortfalls in current levels of supply.

Low 2017/18

* Funded in the 2014/15 Financial Year

** To be completed “in house”