Gisborne ratepayer Dean Markham is leading a fight against a 30-year plan for his town that he fears foreshadows a ‘Sunbury future’.
He is challenging Macedon Ranges Council’s draft Gisborne Futures documents that plan for a population boom and map impending development.
Determined to keep the town regional, Mr Markham has launched his own campaign to “motivate locals to take control of their future”.
“Ask anybody in town if they want Gisborne to become the next Sunbury, Melton or Taylors Lakes. The area doesn’t need or want growth. We need to preserve what we’ve got while we’ve got it,” he told the Express.
Controversial elements of the plan include introduction of three-storey buildings in the town centre and expansion of Gisborne Business Park at the town’s gateway.
Mr Markham is also promoting thought around capping population growth.
“The review of Gisborne Futures has got to be to ‘chuck it in the bin and start again’. The more noise people make, the better,” Mr Markham said.
‘Major, multi-layered, complex’
Gisborne Futures comprises three key draft reports – a structure plan, urban design framework and neighbourhood character study.
Macedon Ranges Residents Association said the project was “major, multi-layered, complex strategic planning work” that residents needed more time to process.
They seek numerous changes to the project in a detailed 18-page submission and called out expansion for the shire, which was one of the first in the state to be named a distinctive landscape.
“Perhaps the most incredible aspect is Gisborne Futures’ proclamation that significantly increased expansion of medium density, high-rise development, no subdivision minima, and urban sprawl … retains semi-rural character and a “village in the valley”,” they said.
Consultation next year
Seven weeks of community consultation for Phase 3 of the Gisborne Futures project closed last Monday, with further consultation expected next year.
The latest process attracted more than 640 people online survey responses and at least 100 written submissions. About 80 people joined a council-hosted webinar series to air concerns and ask questions.
Council’s director of planning and environment, Angela Hughes, said the council was pleased with the high level of interest as community feedback would help the council to refine its vision for future growth in Gisborne.
“We wanted to check if issues raised in previous consultations in recent years fairly reflect our community’s priorities for the future and if the balance is right in these draft plans,” Ms Hughes said.
“Our objective is for council to implement the necessary planning tools and strengthen design controls to protect Gisborne’s neighbourhood and landscape character values.”
Ms Hughes said the project team would review all recent submissions, survey results and other comments received before presenting a modified version of the draft plans to the community for a further round of consultation next year.
