The Drysdale Clifton Springs Structure Plan was adopted by the City of Greater Geelong at its meeting on 14 April. The Structure Plan is now available in print or on CD-ROM from the Council's Customer Service Centre in Drysdale or from the Council's web site*.
The Plan was presented to Council after an initial period of consultation with the local community and its adoption marks the start of a further consultation process. This next period of consultation offers the local community an opportunity to write its own future based on principles of sustainability and accountability.
The Bellarine Peninsula faces several major challenges to its future, including climate change, population growth, demographic change and the local effects of the 'global financial crisis' on jobs and well-being. In this context, people in Drysdale and Clifton Springs can use the process of developing and refining the current Structure Plan to develop their community in sustainable ways that meet their present needs without jeopardising future generations' ability to meet theirs.
The Drysdale Clifton Springs Structure Plan should address several specific issues, including services for the elderly, for young people and for families; local educational (tertiary) and medical facilities; creating and sustaining new jobs and businesses (including a farmers Market); ensuring a mix of land-use and housing types; and integrating facilities and services with vehicular and walking routes. However, rather than addressing each specific issue individually, the consultation around the Structure Plan offers a chance to see each of them as part of an overall vision for the future of the area. The foundations of such an overall vision are sustainability and accountability.
Some broad directions for a sustainable community include:
• Water. Protect and conserve water for residential, rural, recreational and industrial purposes
• Waste. Develop responsible and integrated waste management practices
• Energy. Promote energy from renewable sources such as solar, tidal and wind
• Biodiversity. Protect and increase local biodiversity
Some broad directions in which to promote accountability by those involved in local developments include:
• Collaboration. Promote policy-making and risk management through active collaboration between the Council, local public and private organisations and local community groups.
• Citizenship. Promote individual and corporate citizenship by encouraging local individuals, groups and organsations to create open and transparent decision-making.
* (www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Services_In_Geelong/Planning/Strategic_Planning/Drysdale_Clifton_Springs_Structure_Plan/)
(An amended version was published as 'Sustainable planning needed' in the Bellarine Times 30 April 2009.)
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