How long will the draft Strategy be on exhibition?

    Council resolved on 24 June 2015 to exhibit draft Local Planning Strategy for eight (8) weeks.  This Strategy, when adopted by Council, will replace the 2002 Wingecarribee Our Future Strategic Plan.  The public exhibition period is from Wednesday 15 July to Friday 11 September 2015.

    What is contained in the draft Local Planning Strategy?

    The draft Local Planning Strategy provides a ‘snapshot’ of the Shire in 2015, identifies the key issues most likely to affect the Shire over the next 16 years to 2031 and offers land use options which meet our regional development obligations while also respecting community priorities and goals. 

    The draft Local Planning Strategy comprises two (2) Parts:

    Part 1 contains eight (8) chapters:

    1. Chapter One - Introduction and Summary of Opportunities for Action
    2. Chapter Two - Managing our Natural Environment
    3. Chapter Three - Managing our Rural Lands
    4. Chapter Four - Managing our Housing Needs
    5. Chapter Five - Developing a Prosperous Wingecarribee
    6. Chapter Six - Managing our Built Environment
    7. Chapter Seven - Managing our Infrastructure Needs
    8. Chapter Eight - Managing Amendments to WLEP 2010

    These chapters reflect the content of the Sydney Canberra Corridor Regional Strategy, but the draft Local Planning Strategy begins with consideration the Natural Environment and Rural Lands because so much of the Shire comes under these categories. 

    Part Two contains a set of Precinct Plans for:

    • Bowral and Burradoo
    • Mittagong
    • Moss Vale
    • Bundanoon
    • Robertson
    • Berrima
    • Burrawang
    • Exeter
    • Penrose & Wingello
    • Sutton Forest & Fitzroy Falls
    • Northern Localities – Colo Vale, Hill Top, Balmoral, Yerrinbool, Aylmerton, Balaclava, Braemar, Willow Vale and Welby.

    Each Precinct Plan contains summary population and housing data and a summary of the Town and Village SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analyses undertaken during 2010 and 2011. 

    How can I make a submission?

    Submissions to the draft Local Planning Strategy must be made before 4.30pm on Friday 11 September 2015 :

    Where can I view a copy of the draft Strategy?

    Printed copies of the draft Strategy may be viewed at the following locations during opening hours:

    • Council’s Customer Service Centre, Elizabeth Street, Moss Vale.
    • Bowral Central Library, Bendooley Street, Bowral.
    • Moss Vale Branch Library, Kirkham Street, Moss Vale.
    • Mittagong Branch Library, Queen Street, Mittagong.
    • Mobile ROADS Library,
    • Robertson General Store, Hoddle Street, Robertson.
    • Exeter General Store, 1 Exeter Road, Exeter.
    • Canyonleigh Country Store. 152 Tugalong Road, Canyonleigh.
    Online copies can be viewed in the Document Library.

    Can I speak with a Council Officer about the draft Strategy?

    Several drop-in exhibition days have been arranged where Council Planning staff will be in attendance.

    • Moss Vale - Jellore Room, Civic Centre, Elizabeth Street Moss Vale - from 3pm to 6pm on Wednesday 22 July, 12 August, 26 August & 9 September 2015.
    • Moss Vale - Gibraltar Room, Civic Centre, Elizabeth Street Moss Vale - from 10am to 4pm, Friday 17 July & 10am to 3pm Saturday 22 August 2015.
    • Mittagong - School of Arts Room, Memorial Hall, cnr Bowral Road & Old Hume Highway - from 10am to 4pm Thursday 30 July & 10am to 3pm Saturday 15 August 2015.
    • Bowral – Henrietta Rose Room, next to Bowral Library - from 10am to 4pm Friday 24 July & 10am to 3pm Saturday 5 September 2015.
    • Bundanoon – Soldiers Memorial Hall, cnr Railway Ave & Osborne St - from 10am to 3pm Saturday 8 August  & 10am to 4pm Thursday 20 August 2015.

    Council is also contacting local community and business organisations offering to provide Planning staff to discuss the draft Local Planning Strategy at a forthcoming meeting or at a meeting they may care to convene. To arrange this please call Susan Stannard on (02) 4868 0888 or email susan.stannard@wsc.nsw.gov.au

    Why do we need a Local Planning Strategy and how was this draft developed?

    The purpose of a Local Planning Strategy is to identify a long term direction for the future development of the Shire upon which any proposed amendments to the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) can be based.

    On 28 April 2010 Council resolved to prepare a new Local Planning Strategy.  Since that time a number of studies, findings and community engagement opportunities have been completed which have helped inform and guide the drafting of a new Strategy.  These are:

    • Wingecarribee Community Strategic Plan (W2031+) - initiated in 2009 and adopted by Council in 2010 following extensive community involvement, exhibition and review. This Plan resulted from a 2009 amendment to the NSW Local Government Act 1993 to require every Council in NSW to develop and endorse a Community Strategic Plan, the purpose of which is to identify the main priorities and aspirations for the local government area for a period of at least ten years. 
    • The outcome of W2031+ is a set of Goals and Strategies under from the five key themes of Leadership, People, Places, Environment and Economy. These goals and strategies now provide the framework for all aspects of Council’s work, from the four-year Delivery Programme and one-year Operational Plan, to the linking to W2031+ of every report presented to Council.
    • A new population census was conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2011 with detailed data available from 2012.  This provided valuable insight into the Wingecarribee community. 
    • The Wingecarribee Demographic and Housing Study undertaken by SGS Economics for Council during 2011 and 2012 clarified potential housing demand and estimated existing capacity to 2031. 
    • During 2012 and 2013 the NSW’s government released its Green and White Papers on “A New Planning System for NSW”.  Subsequent parliamentary debate delayed implementation of this legislation, but the proposals outlined in these papers informed the structure of and approach to the draft Strategy.
    • During 2013 and 2014 extensive work was undertaken on the development of Town Centre Master Plans for Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale.  The outcomes and recommendations from these Plans have been incorporated into the draft Strategy. 
    • Early in 2015 Council undertook consultation with a broad range of stakeholders regarding opportunities for rural tourism and how WLEP 2010 might be amended to facilitate appropriate rural tourism initiatives across the Shire.  Opportunities for action have been identified in the draft Strategy.  
    • Council is currently developing a Positive Ageing Strategy and feedback from stakeholder consultations conducted in the development of that strategy has been incorporated into the draft Local Planning Strategy. 

    How have submissions to amend the Wingecarribee Local Environmental Plan affected the draft Local Planning Strategy?

    A report was considered by Council on 24 June 2015.  This report provided recommendations on submissions to amend Wingecarribee Local Environmental Plan 2010 which were lodged with Council for consideration as part of the draft Local Planning Strategy.  Those that were supported have been included in the relevant Precinct Plan for further consideration during the public exhibition process.

    What are ‘Opportunities for Action’?

    Each Chapter in Part One of the draft Strategy contains a number of Opportunities for Action which Council hopes will encourage discussion within the community. 

    One key example is that Council not support, for a period of two years, any submission to amend any rural or environmental zoned land to permit residential development, or to increase its current residential capacity outside of the existing town and village urban boundaries. 

    This Opportunity reflects a number of observations and conclusions at both a local and regional level:

    • The Demographic and Housing Study commissioned by Council in 2012 concludes that sufficient vacant land exists in the current town and village urban areas to provide for estimated population growth to 2031. 
    • The Wingecarribee Community Strategic Plan (W2031+) contains several Goals and Strategies intended to protect the rural land between the towns and villages.
    • The SWOT workshops conducted by Council in 2010 and 2011 confirmed community preference for a retention of the largely rural character of the Shire and for a discreet rural buffer between each town and village. 
    • The Sydney Canberra Corridor Regional Strategy identifies the importance of maintaining the Shire’s largely rural character and protecting the rural landscape between Bowral and Moss Vale and Bowral and Mittagong in particular. 

    What will happen after the public exhibition period?

    A report back to Council at the end of the public exhibition period will consider all submissions made.  Following adoption of the draft Strategy by Council it will be forwarded to the Secretary for Planning for endorsement.