GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN SUMMARY REPORT

Transcription

1 GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN SUMMARY REPORT January 2014 Prepared for the municipalities of: George Town, Launceston, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands and West Tamar

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3 Contents What is the Greater Launceston Plan? 1 Challenges for Greater Launceston 2 What the Greater Launceston Plan sees to achieve 3 Vision 4 Building Strategic Advantage 5 Greater Launceston Process Flow Chart 6 Metropolitan Structure Principles 7 Regional Framewor Plan 8 Projects Framewor 12 Projects Summary 14 Next Steps 21 DRAFT GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN: SUMMARY REPORT iii

4 Regional Context Map Flinders Balance Northern Tasmania Region Greater Launceston Area George Town Dorset West Tamar Launceston Brea O Day Meander Valley Northern Midlands Kilometers iv

5 What is the Greater Launceston Plan? The Greater Launceston Plan (GLP) is a community vision and evidence-based framewor for the sustainable development of Launceston and its suburbs and localities over the next 20 years and beyond. The project was initiated by the City of Launceston through the Liveable Cities Program administered through the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport and embraces the City of Launceston together with the municipalities of George Town, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands and West Tamar. The GLP comprises several ey components: a vision and strategic pathway for the preferred future of greater Launceston; a policy framewor to achieve the vision; metropolitan structure principles which set out the logic and rationale for the physical structuring, planning and development of the greater Launceston area; a strategic framewor plan which provides an overarching physical framewor to guide the sustainable development of the greater urban area over the next 20 years and beyond; an implementation framewor to provide guidance on the staging, monitoring and progressive implementation of the GLP; an important part of the implementation framewor is the identi cation of ey city projects. These are planning, development and investment initiatives identi ed to be of regional and state signi - cance. The ey city projects are being developed to support the timely implementation of the GLP and to facilitate new major sources of sustainable investment for the city and region. The primary reference area for the study encompasses the Northern Midlands townships of Perth, Longford and Evandale in the south and extends through the Launceston urban area and surrounding suburbs and localities to George Town and Beauty Point on the Bass Strait coast (refer opposite page). DRAFT GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN: SUMMARY REPORT 1

6 Challenges for Greater Launceston The ey challenges identi ed for the Launceston region include: providing effective co-operation and governance for the municipalities that comprise greater Launceston; managing the ongoing transition of the Launceston economy from an industrial to a services based economy; facilitating the growth of services in the Launceston economy through nowledge based employment sectors; realising the opportunities provided by the ey regional gateways of Launceston Airport and the Port of Bell Bay; providing for a broader diversity of investment and employment sectors in the Launceston economy; optimising the sustainable development of the region s agricultural and tourism resources and opportunities; utilising the opportunities offered by the rise of e-commerce and social media; securing a balance between traditional and online retailing; maintaining a compact city into the future; encouraging social inclusion and robust engaged communities; ensuring that future development af rms and respects Launceston s unique heritage environment; identifying a strategy to address the region s limited population growth, loss of young families and ageing population; ensuring the ef cient and effective movement of freight; continue to improve the region s liveability and amenity through improved pedestrian and cycle access; continue to improve the quality of life and well being through improved access to preventative health services and lifestyles; ensuring the long term sustainability of the region s unique environmental resources and ecosystems. 2

7 What the Greater Launceston Plan sees to achieve The GLP is directed to achieve ve principal outcomes for the participating Councils and broader communities that they represent: to provide a unified vision and consistent policy framewor to support prosperity and sustainable development for existing and future communities in the greater Launceston area; to provide an overarching metropolitan regional framewor to coordinate planning and development in the municipalities that together mae up the greater Launceston area; to provide a regional view of development priorities within the greater Launceston area; to identify ey city projects to be undertaen by the participating Councils which will act as a focus for new investment and sustainable development opportunities in the greater Launceston area; to facilitate a consistent approach to the implementation of planning and development policy and initiatives within the greater Launceston area. DRAFT GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN: SUMMARY REPORT 3

8 Vision Statement Sustainable prosperity for greater Launceston will be achieved by consolidating and building nationally and internationally recognised strategic advantages for the region through a focus on creativity and innovation, maintaining exceptional environmental and liveability qualities and ensuring a diverse, connected and inclusive region. 4

9 Building Strategic Advantage The vision is directed to enhance the regions strategic advantage through the consolidation of recognised ey strengths of the region. Building regional strategic advantage is directed to raising regional standing and competitiveness through the consolidation of broadly based, well recognised and long established structural advantages for Launceston and its region, built on climatic, cultural, physiographic and regional endowments. Launceston s and its regions strategic advantages encompass: Heritage and History Physical Setting and Environment Temperate Maritime Climate, Water Resources and Soils Amenity, Liveability and Lifestyle Opportunities Nature and Natural Products Craftsmanship and Creativity Strong Sense of Community and Place Compact and Connected Region Proximity and Connection to the Australian Heartland DRAFT GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN: SUMMARY REPORT 5

10 Overview of the Development of the Greater Launceston Plan The Greater Launceston Plan (GLP) was developed via several ey stages. These comprised : Context, Policy and Vision Framewor establishment of the social, economic, environmental and development context of the greater Launceston area: an understanding of the challenges facing the greater city and region and the potential opportunities for sustainable prosperity; development of a community based vision to guide the plan; preparation of a policy framewor that brings together regional, state and national guidelines for the Plan. Future Requirements an assessment of future land and access requirements in the greater Launceston area over the next 20 years and beyond, taing account of population and economic forecasts and trends. Cyclical Review Planning Principles Physical Plans and Policies a clear statement of recognised planning principles to guide the development of the Plan. preparation of the Regional Framewor Plan (RFP)which is the principal development plan of the GLP together with supporting physical plans and policies. Projects Framewor a set of recommended initiatives for the participating Councils of the GLP to co-ordinate with state and regional authorities to deliver new major projects and investments in greater Launceston over the next 20 years. Implementation Framewor recommended staging and prioritisation of initiatives to implement the GLP; recommended approach for statutory approvals; process for monitoring and review of the GLP 6

11 Planning Principles In order to achieve the most effective plan for the sustainable development of the greater Launceston area, a set of recognised planning principles was adopted to guide the development of the Plan. The principles set out the preferred optimal requirements for the future physical development of greater Launceston and linages to the wider region. 1 Effective Provisioning of Land Requirements Assessment and provisioning of the range of land requirements and preferred land use - transport relationships over the next twenty years and beyond. 2 Urban Consolidation Ensuring ef cient functioning, servicing and future development of greater Launceston. 3 Central City Focus Effective functioning, planning and development of the Launceston central area maximises the opportunities for improved future prosperity, social development and liveability of greater Launceston. 4 Accessible Robust Communities The planning and development of residential areas as integral components of balanced accessible communities will maximise a range of accessibility, place, social and economic bene ts for the metropolitan community. 5 Structured Metropolitan Development The strategic development of greater Launceston will be facilitated through the articulation of its urban form and structure to maximise the effectiveness and economic, environmental, amenity, access and social bene ts. 6 Open Space and Shared Pathways The development of a regional pars and shared pathways networ is a major initiative of the GLP. The projects aims to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of the region s pars, gardens and reserves. 7 Activity Centres Effective service provisioning, public access and community bene ts will be optimised through a hierarchical system of activity centres planned to cater for the needs of the community and wider region. 8 Regional Nodes and Employment Areas The economic prosperity and social vitality of greater Launceston and the broader region will be signi cantly facilitated through the development of regional nodes and a diversity of employment areas. 9 Gateways and Inter-Regional Access Regional prosperity, trade and development are critically dependent on high capacity ef cient gateways that provide lins to the Australian and international marets. 10 Strategic Foresight Strategic planning needs to ensure a long term pathway for the effective and ef cient consolidation of the urban area and identify strategic areas and resources that need to be protected. 11 Resource Conservation DRAFT GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN: SUMMARY REPORT Long term sustainability and ultimately quality of life for existing and future communities of the region is greatly enhanced through the conserving of natural resources and areas of high agricultural value. 7

12 Regional Framewor Plan George org or rg Town 35m (referr p page 9) Legana Integrated Int g te planning a ing o of urban ba growth row are areas Revitalisation off the e city s northern suburbs ub Newnham Revie evie view area area Existing xisting act activity centre hierarchy ie archy Riverside Regional networ of pars Regional and nd shared n hared pathways Ravenswood Trevallyn SStrategic e reserve Mowbray Revitalised lised i and nd more m diverse dive s inner city inne ty and CBD D Integrated nte egr g planning ng of urb urban n growth wth are areas St Leonards Blacstone Heights Launc Launceston ce o Connector Route te Proposed opos activity centre Priority riority investigation nv area Regional Reg al employ employment node T Strategic rategic c reserve T Hadspen Metropolitan Metropolit ropolitan pars and Regional onal gateway Ó Perth Evandale Proposed Pr P rop oposed o ed d Ill Illawarra R Road Bypass Longford $ A.4 Kilometers

13 Regional Framewor Plan The Regional Framewor Plan (RFP) is the overarching settlement and regional access plan for the Greater Launceston Plan. It provides a strategy for new priorities in the development and consolidation of Launceston and surrounding suburbs and localities. The emphasis of the RFP is to lead and foster new residential development and to build on the regions strategic advantages. Key elements of the plan include: regional access networ existing urban settlement public transport regional pars and pathways activity centres and employment areas future residential growth areas. These can be seen in the Regional Framewor Plan opposite and the inset of the Regional Framewor Plan for George Town below (approximately 40m north of Launceston). Regional Framewor Plan inset - George Town Low Head George Town Regional networ of pars and shared pathways Strategic reserve Bell Bay Clarence Point Î Port of Bell Bay Launceston n 40m DRAFT GREATER LAUNCESTON PLAN: SUMMARY REPORT Kilometers

14 Greater Launceston Plan: Key Initiatives MAP INITIATIVE ACTIONS TO REALISE EACH INITIATIVE Mowbray new regional level inner city attractions; Launceston CBD Inner city living precincts and projects; tourism and mixed use precincts; Revitalised and more diverse inner city and CBD pathways lining the suburbs and localities of greater Launceston to the central city. (refer Draft Greater Launceston Plan (GLP), Kings Meadows networ of pedestrian and cycle 2013, Figure 5.7) Legana Clearly articulated hierarchy of activity centres and employment areas; responsive framewor to re ect Mowbray Activity centres and employment areas CBD residential growth areas; opportunities for new multi-purpose regional precincts for research and nowledge based activities and diversi ed commercial precincts requiring regional access. (refer Draft GLP, 2013, Section 5.4.6) Hadspen Comprehensive broadly based strategy Mowbray CBD 10 Revitalisation of the city s northern suburbs Kings Meadows encompassing social and physical planning with economic and housing initiatives, activity centre and public transport planning. (refer Draft GLP, 2013, Figure 5.5)