Cast your mind ahead to 2036 and the local government area’s population is expected to reach 103,000.
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That population growth presents opportunities and challenges.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has compiled a Draft Urban Growth Management Strategy to look ahead to 2036.
The strategy, when adopted, will underpin well-planned growth to create a more diverse and prosperous economy and maintain a healthy environment and great places to live.
The draft document aims to provide a planning framework for economic growth and development.
It looks at population growth, the environment and the actions needed to provide for well-planned housing and employment growth.
The draft document is prepared in two volumes.
Volume one provides a summary of the key facts and proposed actions.
The second volume gives a more detailed discussion about urban growth issues and actions to 2036.
Mayor Peta Pinson said the strategy would work towards addressing how infrastructure was provided into the future.
Cr Pinson encouraged people to make submissions.
“It’s important that council knows exactly what its community is expecting from us so we can partner with the community and deliver those things,” she said.
Cr Rob Turner said the draft strategy was a weighty and important document.
He said: “I think now it’s time for the public to have their say so I’m very pleased to put it out there and encourage people to make submissions and let us know what they think.”
Cr Peter Alley said there would be approximately 20,000 more people living in our area in the next 20 years.
“This strategy identifies areas for extra housing, and extra infrastructure, and it identifies areas that are not going to be developed,” he said.
“Our local environment is very important to us and it’s important we get the balance right.”
Cr Lisa Intemann said we must find ways to accommodate new growth without destroying the natural environmental areas that people valued so much.
Written submissions to the draft strategy are open until December 22.
The draft strategy is available online at haveyoursay.pmhc.nsw.gov.au and at council customer service centres. It follows on from the 2011 Urban Growth Management Strategy.