ONE of the buzz words in the Bass Coast Housing Strategy 2024 is “infill development”.
With zoned greenfield land in the shire “becoming exhausted” and the State Government pushing hard to tighten town boundaries across Bass Coast, the council is looking to infill development within our towns to meet an expected increase in population of 5610 people by 2036.
The projected population growth could result in demand for an additional 10,000 dwellings in the shire by 2036, at almost 850 extra houses-a-year; it’s a big ask given we’ve averaged 653 new houses here between 2017 and 2022.
But you’ve got to have a plan, right, and Bass Coast is on the way to developing a comprehensive strategy for residential growth with the publication of a suite of interrelated documents last week, including:
• Bass Coast Draft Neighbourhood Character Study
• Bass Coast Draft Housing Strategy
• Bass Coast Residential Canopy Cover Improvement Strategy.
These reports were released for public consultation at last Wednesday’s council meeting, between February 22 and March 24, with a couple of information sessions coming up:
• Friday, March 8 from 2pm – 4pm at Wonthaggi Apex Park
• Saturday, March 9 9am – 1pm at the Corinella Community Market (Harold Hughes Reserve).
Speaking about the development of these “overdue” plan, Cr Rochelle Halstead praised shire staff for completing such complex work against the backdrop of a delayed government process on the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes review and the production of Wonthaggi’s North-East Development Strategy.
“I would like to strongly encourage residents with an interest in protecting their neighbourhoods to take the time to engage as these will be the tools we as councillors can reach for in an attempt to protect and enhance the built form in Bass Coast,” said Cr Halstead.
She also recommended those who are unfamiliar with the process to make contact with community groups including the Small Town Coastal Alliance and others who may be able to assist them.
Council’s own Engage Bass Coast website also carries copies of the draft reports.
Cr Halstead also praised council staff for having the foresight to produce its ‘Bass Coast Residential Canopy Cover Improvement Strategy’ with a policy promoting higher density living likely to come into conflict with the leafy-green character many residents favour.
“To date, residential development activity in Bass Coast has been heavily weighted towards greenfield housing at conventional densities in the General Residential Zone (approximately 500-800sqm lots), however, many established areas are starting to experience infill development by way of 2-5 lot subdivisions. Although infill and medium density housing currently makes up a small proportion of the development activity in Bass Coast (less than six per cent), proposed apartment developments are emerging in certain locations such as Cowes and San Remo.”
As a council, Bass Coast aims to facilitate more of that medium intensity housing so that it can accommodate growth while restricting sprawl.
However, while the council plans to facilitate urban consolidation in Wonthaggi, Cowes, San Remo/Newhaven, Inverloch and Grantville, by reviewing town activity centre plans and providing desirable infrastructure it is going to direct growth away from the smaller settlements including the Adams Estate, Archies Creek, Bass, Harmers Haven, Jam Jerrup, Pioneer Bay, Rennison Road, Newhaven, The Gurdies, Smiths Beach, Sunderland Bay, Sunset Strip, Surf Beach, Tenby Point, Ventnor, Wattle Bank (horse may have bolted there), Wimbledon Heights and Woolamai.
These are some of the most important residential plans developed by the Bass Coast Shire Council, and while they are big reports, those with an interest in town planning and neighbourhood amenity should take an interest and make a submission by the closing date of March 24.