Mid-North Coast plans for the future of Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Mid-Coast councils revealed
Reams of process-heavy PDF’s clog the front and back end of local government websites – but how much of it is actually read? Here’s a quick snapshot into the future of your local area on the and where you can find what’s really going on without lifting a finger.
Mid-North Coast
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There’s a lot that goes in to mapping out the future of local government areas – and the information at hand is there, but it’s not often readily available or easy to digest.
From big-picture ideas to simple community-planning projects, our council’s have a responsibility to deliver important projects, proposals and planning targets that will help shape, guide and grow the future of the place where you live.
But who’s actually engaging, and how many people know about what’s being planned? Can you recite your council’s missions statements on cue? When was the last time you clicked on your council’s website and studied a DA, CSP, or LSPS — what?!
For those unfamiliar with what’s planned for suburbs, towns, and areas across the mid-north coast in the next 10, 20 or 50 years – here’s a quick snapshot of the future and where your council’s interests lie.
PORT MACQUARIE — HASTINGS:
Last week Port Macquarie flicked the switch on its big-picture planning project, FUTUREThink. Two creative and out-of-the box public seminars were held with the community online to get them thinking about what they want for their future.
The idea was to get input and feedback from the community about what they want for the future of the region. The information obtained from this will help guide the council’s Community Strategic Plan (CSP) — a 30-year public document that every council is required to keep.
FutureCrunch Managing Director and futurist, Melissa Neighbour, said councils across NSW are adopting major advancements in technology moving forward – and thinks the same can be true of a place such as Port Macquarie
She believes councils are well equipped to harness big technological ideas that can make their region’s futures more sustainable.
“At Maroochydore, what they’ll be doing there is installing an underground waste disposal system,” she said.
“In this system there will be no more garbage trucks, this will eliminate the need for that.
“instead, underneath the ground, these pipes will be piped to your house and commercial buildings and the waste will be sucked underground at 70km and go straight out to landfill.”
Ms Neighbour believes there’s scope for places like Port Macquarie to adapt to this type of technology.
“Looking at a place like Port Macquarie, maybe we need to incorporate plans around more aged care facilities of a really high standard, do we need more technology that caters to an aged population, It’s up to the ideas and consultation process from council as to what plans are implemented and chosen.”
You can have your say on the future of the council’s CSP, here, or the FUTUREThink 2050 information, here.
KEMPSEY SHIRE
Earlier this month, Kempsey Shire Council adopted its “Your Future Macleay – Places and Spaces, Community Infrastructure” plan.
In it, the council outlined a number of particularly important plans for the next 20 years across a number of its suburbs and areas.
The Your Future Macleay – Places and Spaces, Community Infrastructure plan will help guide and manage community infrastructure across the Shire.
It is a 20-year plan that seeks to respond to community needs, demographic profiles, local values an aspirations as well as the role and characteristics of the town’s diverse region.
At a glance, here’s where the council and community’s priorities lie moving forward.
Develop a library based multipurpose hub at South West Rocks
Prepare a service delivery plan for a multipurpose community hub to serve the area’s growing population. This plan will support future decision making and funding applications to secure its delivery.
Expand and enhance the mobile library service
Expand the function and coverage of the mobile library service. Provide residents with the ability to pay bills, get up to date council information, provide programs / groups and access other council services. An upgraded service will fill gaps in the current service and allow opportunities to deliver council services in a more cost effective way than fixed buildings.
Kempsey Library Upgrade
Upgrade the Kempsey Library to expand the range of activities, programs and services provided. This could include multipurpose meeting spaces, access to technology, a dedicated youth space and art gallery.
Look for ways to provide residents access to community facilities without a car Investigate alternative means of providing residents without access to a car, access to community infrastructure
Expansion of the South West Rocks Sports Complex
Expand the South West Rocks Sports Complex, as per the Macleay Valley Sports Strategy, and improve the current facilities.
Lastly, the document also details information about creating a public art and culture plan that identifies opportunities to incorporate public art throughout the Shire, including opportunities to reflect indigenous culture.
You can view more about the plan, here:
MID COAST
The MidCoast Council has a population of 92,000, showcasing a diverse community with a geographical region of 10,052 square kilometres. It extends from the coastline, west to the escarpment of the Great Dividing Range, on the mid north coast of New South Wales.
It’s median age is 52 years.
It’s key strategic document is the MidCoast 2030: Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility. It is a plan for the future of the MidCoast community, and like every other council in NSW, it is mandatory to keep one.
It expresses the community’s vision and values and outlines how the community can work together. The plan is limited in detail. Rather, it is a high-level aspirational document that will remain flexible enough to adapt to a changing and growing community.
You can view it, and other more specific strategic plans, here.
