“Hawkesbury Towns and Villages Place Plans” is on exhibition for public comment until Wednesday 21 June 2023.
The report identifies 9 villages in the Hawkesbury and provides a description and mud map of what village centres are projected to become. North Richmond, Kurmond, Kurrajong, and Bilpin are in the report but not Kurrajong Heights.
This report will be used by Council to direct future funding received from the State and Federal Governments.
What are place plans?
NSW Planning Circular PS 21-026 (December 2021) provides information on the purpose of place plans. It states that the role of the planning system is to guide how growth will be managed, including by setting strategic targets for new housing to meet the needs of future communities. Character is a critical element of local areas and neighbourhoods and needs to be carefully considered in future planning.
The circular provides advice on how the NSW planning system will deliver development that both meets the growing needs of NSW and is contextual, local and of its place – to make better places for everyone.
Bilpin – the only place with a plan
Bilpin place plan can be viewed on page 27 to 30 in the report. Cycle and hiking tracks are the main features and an “DIY Little Library” and “Temporary Café/Trucks” are noted on the plan.
Vox pop on Bilpin place plan
“The mixture of cyclists and trucks on BLOR is concerning, and where are all the pushbike riders and hikers going to park their vehicles? I don’t think this is a well-considered plan”.
“Has anyone told Grumpy Baker that his shop is going to be a public toilet block?”
“We need to do something about the traffic flow through Bilpin CBD, particularly on weekends. This plan does nothing to address this serious here and now problem.”
These are a few comments from locals, and you can have your say by going to https://www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/
Why doesn’t Kurrajong Heights get a place plan?
No one knows. According to page 4 funding for the report has come from an Australian Government “Recovery Grant” for Local Councils focusing on bush fires. “The purpose of the Grants was to improve resiliency in local areas by investing in safety, community, and fire protection infrastructure.”
Kurrajong Heights was badly impacted by the Black Summer bushfires that burnt out properties and destroyed houses. The only other places equally impacted by fire were Bilpin, Colo Heights and St Albans all who have place plans in this report.
Do the Place Plans improve community safety and provide fire protection infrastructure as required by the grant?
Water is an essential ingredient for effective firefighting, along with emergency evacuation areas and other community safety infrastructure. None of this is present in the place plans for any location.
If you want to comment on Hawkesbury Council’s use of a bushfire recovery grant to pay for this Place Plan report, you can have your say at https://www.susantempleman.com.au/ see tab “Have your say”