Bega Valley Shire Councillors today agreed to adopt structure plans for the Bega and Wolumla residential growth areas.
Council's Director of Community, Environment and Planning, Emily Harrison said several changes were made to the draft plans following public exhibition to which Council received 533 online surveys and 21 written submissions.
"The structure plans provide the groundwork for a significant portion of future housing in the shire. We estimate we need around 2,500 new homes over the next 15 years, and accelerating supply in Bega and Wolumla will help to meet some of that demand plus demand further into the future," Ms Harrison said.
"Feedback on the structure plans indicated strong support for more housing supply and the allocation of more land to housing in the shire.
"There is support for a variety of housing types in new developments including units and townhouses, not just detached dwellings, which is critical to meeting the housing needs of our community."
The Draft Bega Structure Plan identifies land for around 2,000 new houses in three new residential neighbourhoods south of the existing town boundary.
"The feedback shows that community priorities for new neighbourhoods in Bega are protecting natural features, amenity and character; efficient use of land and infrastructure; and sustainable development to manage growth," Ms Harrison said.
The Draft Wolumla Structure Plan investigates how the existing vacant urban release areas can be developed to accommodate around 1,000 new homes and how these areas can be integrated with the existing village.
"Community priorities for Wolumla's growth include the need to renew Candelo-Wolumla Road; protecting village character; efficient use of service infrastructure and provision of active travel and open space networks," Ms Harrison said.
"The feedback also identified that future growth in Wolumla needs to address the current lack of footpaths to open space areas and the town centre; the limited services and shopping available; poor pedestrian connectivity to the recreational space east of the highway; the limited recreation/open space within the town; and safety concerns with the existing highway intersections."
The structure plans were funded by the NSW Government's Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund and developed by specialists in consultation with Council, landowners, government agencies and the community.
"We are extremely grateful that the NSW Government has agreed to fund a planning proposal to rezone land identified in the Bega Structure Plan under the second round of its Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund," Ms Harrison said.
"This will enable a rezoning application to be prepared in the next 12 months, enabling property owners and developers to take action more quickly than would otherwise have been possible."
The Bega and Wolumla Structure Plans can be accessed on Council's website.
