Strathfieldsaye is set to double in population over coming years and town planners are asking the community what they want to see preserved – and what they want to change.
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The City of Greater Bendigo is working on an Urban Design Framework to guide future development of the Strathfieldsaye town centre.
City strategy manager Trevor Budge said the framework would establish the form and layout of the town centre, landscaping, public space and how it would progressively develop to retain the features that the community highly values.
“The population of Strathfieldsaye is forecast to grow from an estimated 5700 in 2016 to over 13,000 by 2036 and how development is accommodated will influence the feel and character of the town,” Mr Budge said.
“There has been growing concern about traffic and safety and retaining the rural setting and all these issues will be examined as part of the development of the UDF, which in essence is all about designing the heart of Strathfieldsaye,”
- City Strategy manager Trevor Budge
The plan will focus on the town centre and the area along Strathfieldsaye Road/Wellington Street.
Strathfieldsaye and districts community enterprise chairman Eddie Castle said getting transport right would be crucial for the area’s growth.
“The major challenge facing us at the moment is traffic infrastructure and how well connected the community is to our facilities – making sure we get that correct and updated now that we’ve grown so much,” Mr Castle said.
“Better management of traffic also applies to pedestrians and people, it’s a great area in that most of the subdivisions are in walking distance to schools and shops, but we need to make sure it’s safe for children and the elderly to do so.”
The small business owner and energy auditor said his organisation was also talking with council about securing more green space and retaining Strathfieldsaye’s identity.
“We’d like to see a passive garden recreation space – not a sporting oval, we’ve got good sporting facilities – but we don't have a Canterbury Gardens-style area where people can come and relax near the shopping area, get something to eat and wander down to the garden,” he said.
"People love the sense of being a village community, being not quite a suburb of Bendigo but a hamlet, so to speak, and they want to make sure that is retained as we grow,"
- Strathfieldsaye and districts community enterprise chairman Eddie Castle
The city said it expected the UDF would be completed towards the end of 2016 and will involve a series of further community engagements to assist in refining the final document.
The UDF will ultimately be implemented through changes to the planning scheme, which will be publicly exhibited.
Mr Budge said the city would commence a series of community workshops later this month.
“The city encourages everyone to attend these informal sessions to let us know what issues and opportunities you see for the town centre and main street of Strathfieldsaye,” Mr Budge said.
“In addition an online survey at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/StrathfieldsayeUDF will be available until April 1, focussing on the question: How do you see the future of Strathfieldsaye Town Centre?”
- Sunday March 20, 2016 – 2pm to 4pm Main Hall, Community Hub
- Tuesday March 22, 2016 – 6.30pm to 8pm, Main Hall, Community Hub.