As part of Golden Plains Shire Council’s preparation for a new Structure Plan for Teesdale, residents were invited to have their say on Teesdale’s future growth and development.
Council ran two conversation posts, as well as an online and hard-copy community survey to understand community preferences that may affect the new Structure Plan. An information package containing a hard-copy of the survey was sent to all residents. During the consultation period from 29 August to 20 October, there was high engagement from the town’s residents, with 28 residents attending the conversation posts and 166 survey responses received, which is equivalent to 26.6% of households in Teesdale.
Residents were asked to comment on what type of community they want to live in; commercial facilities; reticulated sewerage; the provision of infrastructure such as lighting and parking; and their preference on a preferred small scale capital works project. Residents could choose from street trees, a town entrance feature, bird boxes or suggest an alternative as part of this final section.
Residents told Council they wanted Teesdale to be a rural community, and expressed interest in more street trees, more commercial facilities and a town entrance feature. The majority of residents did not support installing reticulated sewerage, while 42% of residents did not think Teesdale would benefit from additional street lighting, with only 34% supporting more street lighting.
Survey respondents were overwhelmingly residents (90%), with the remainder comprising of landowners, business owners/workers and developers.
Golden Plains Shire Council has complied this feedback in a Community Engagement Report, which is available at goldenplains.vic.gov.au/residents/my-home/planning/strategic-planning.
The feedback Council received will now be used to inform the development of the new Teesdale Structure Plan. This process will seek to:
- Review the existing 1997 Teesdale Structure Plan;
- Guide long term development in Teesdale;
- Review commercial development opportunities; and
- Review the need for new community and development infrastructure, where not already considered in existing Council Strategies.
The new Teesdale Structure Plan is expected to be finalised in early 2020.
