Heywood & District Community Plan 2008

Heywood & District Community Plan

2008

Table of Contents

1.0Introduction

2.0Community Plan Administration

2.1Council’s support for Community Planning

3.0Heywood & District Community Plan 2008 Priorities:

Priority 1 – Website and promotion of the Heywood District

Priority 2 – Heywood – A world class town...... 8

Priority 3 – Timber – A new Heywood Industry...... 10

Priority 4 – Multi-purpose indoor centre including hydrotherapy

Priority 5 – Mens Shed Project – Railway Precinct

Other issues

4.0Function of community planning

4.1General

4.2Role of community planning group

4.3Alterations to the community plan

4.4Emergency circumstances

1.0Introduction

The Heywood community completed its first community plan in 2007 and commenced an extensive planning process to develop a long term future for the Heywood community. This plan was extended and reaffirmed at the review session held in June 2008.

A WorldClassTown

The community planning included coordinating many of the first priorities which included: the upgrading of ApexPark, development of a tourism centre, improvement of the river through maintenance and beautification and, taking advantage of further developmentof the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape.

This project also considers the need to further develop the town business area so that there is a tourist friendly location. Preparation for the nomination of the Budj Bim NHL for World Heritage Listing is already underway. World Heritage Listing could attract as many as 200,000 visitors to Heywood a year. This development requires considerable preparation and planning within the Heywood community. A comprehensive assessment of business and community capacity to support this project needs to be undertaken.

The community planning group has already undertaken discussions with the Lake Condah Sustainable Development Project and has participated in discussions with the Department of Planning and Community Development. Council has been briefed through the Glenelg Shire Council CEO on this project.

Timber

The Community Planning Group has also undertaken considerable assessment associated with the Heywood timber scoping project. Even though the pulp mill has not proceeded, the community is still well aware of timber developments that could benefit Heywood. The community planning group is seeking an upgrade of the original timber report to meet the changes in the timber industry and its effects on the Heywood community. This project has significant impact on the Heywood community: from the opportunity for business and residential growth, new business opportunities and the issue of trucks along the highway through the main central business area of the Heywood township.

In addition, the Heywood community is concerned by the perceived issues that could occur by promoting tourism and business growth whilst there is an increasing presence of trucks through the central business district.

Historic Precinct

The community has undertaken projects associated with improving the river environment with the construction of the shed that contains part of Heywood’s history.

Health Services

The community has received outstanding support from the Heywood Rural Health Service with the inclusion of community transport issues into their strategic planning process. This has lead to the establishment improved transport services. The Heywood Rural Health Service has also supported the development of a weekend care support program which is already under way.

Recreation

A further development has been the plan to commence reclamation of the east paddock of the recreation reserve. This project is seen as a considerable development for recreation within the community. Preliminary plans are currently being developed.

Community Bank

In addition, the community has undertaken the task of establishing a community bank in Heywood. It is expected that this initiative will be achieved within the next several months.

Future Directions

The Heywood and district community still believe that there is an enormous amount of planning and development to occur with some of the projects that have commenced within the township. Consequently, the community review has highlighted the changes necessaryto secure the future direction of Heywood, by emphasising the areas the community believe should form the next stage of its community planning program.

2.0Community Plan Administration

The administration of the Heywood and District Community Plan relies on the efforts of a coordinating group who will ensure that the broader sections of the local community are included in any discussion as planning develops within the community.

The community planning group members for the Heywood and District Community Plan for 2008 are:

  • Fred Wilson
  • Eugene Rose
  • Craig Keating
  • Kerry Neil
  • Philip Cain
  • Joy Saville

2.1Council’s Contribution

The Glenelg Shire Council supports the strengthening of local communities and aims to increase community participation through the community planning process.

The Community Plan is driven by local communities and identifies key priorities and actions. Council will:

  1. Support the community planning process
  2. Advocate on behalf of the local community
  3. Where appropriate, include the plans in Council Plans and Strategies.

This is confirmed in the current Glenelg Shire Council Plan 2005-2009.

“A Shire that grasps economic and social opportunities that enable its citizens to lead fuller lives”.

The Council Plan also includes the following commitment:

“We will encourage specific communities to play a more active role in establishing local aspirations and priorities by conducting community planning processes. We will integrate community plans into subsequent Council Plan processes”

The Role of Council:

  1. To receive and note the Community Plan and its proposed projects from the Heywood community planning group.
  2. To advocate on behalf of the Heywood community plan to other funding bodies
  3. To provide advice to the Heywood community planning group and support their endeavours by providing assistance that enables and empowers the group to see their projects completed.
  4. To identify projects or programs that are of significance to the Heywood community that can be considered for inclusion in the Council Plan, thereby creating a strong local government that reflects and responds to community need.

3.0Heywood & District Community Plan 2008 Priorities:

The Heywood residents reviewed their community plan in June 2008 and have recognised that the key issues for community planning in the Heywood district relate to the economic opportunities of the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape and the timber industry, together with the infrastructure and services that are needed to support a community that has significant potential to grow.

Consequently, the community plan has focused on a number of the economic and social initiatives that support one another in growth circumstances whilst not ignoring the issue of the environment as an important part of community planning.

As a result, Heywood considers its vision to be:

“Heywood is a self reliant community that recognises its potential in business, community wellbeing and recreation.”

Accordingly, Heywood in its community plan recognises the importance of encouraging individuals, families and group interaction, in a strong community atmosphere and a distinct sense of place.

Subsequently, Heywood reaffirmed that it wishes to:

  • Manage growth in a way that preserves existing assets.
  • Build a strong sense of community during a period of potential growth.
  • Increase local employment opportunities and develop local businesses.
  • Improve health and wellbeing services to the community to attract new families to the area.
  • Protect the diverse local environment and natural resources.

The following are the priorities which resulted from the recent community plan session:

Priority 1 – Website and promotion of the HeywoodDistrict

Brief description of the project:

Heywood is on the cusp of exciting developments and with the aim of developing a world class town, information about Heywood needs also to be of a world class standard. The development of a website and all the associated information about the Heywood community that will promote and support tourism and business development requires a full assessment and strategic introduction to meet what is expected from the developments occurring within the Heywood community. The Heywood community is of the opinion that a website is a high priority and is the window to the world for the Heywood community especially in relation the to the Budj Bim NHL and its proposed World Heritage nomination. In addition, information that supports visitors being made welcome to the area and supported in their queries is tremendously important for the website development. Interactivity that enables queries to be responded to needs to be built into the website together with the ability to enable change to occur as the website become more sophisticated. The Heywood community is also aware of the need to ensure that maps, information sheets and other visitor information are available to support the tourism to the town. Information about Heywood from a business perspective requires a different approach that is equally important to support any business development within the Heywood community. Developing a business information support package is vital if there is going to be significant support for new business that can be undertaken at a local level.

Project objectives:

  • To identify a list of tasks which are required to support tourism and business web development.
  • To work with relevant agencies to undertake their introduction in a logical and sequential manner.
  • Provide appropriate information to the local community on this project.

Action:

  • The Heywood District Community Planning Group needs to identify relevant individuals within the Heywood community to commence working on the project objectives.
  • This working party should coordinate with the steering groups associated with priority one and priority two.
  • Submit a concept plan to the Heywood community through the Heywood Community Planning Group by the 31st March 2009.

Priority 2 – Heywood – A world class town

Brief description of the project:

The development of tourism in Heywood has not been a high priority in the past; however there are a number of opportunities that could be developed that link in with the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape.The Budj Bim NHL was declared by the Commonwealth Government in 2004 in recognition of the unique and outstanding Indigenous heritage values along the Mt Eccles / Tyrendarra lava flow and wetlands. The Lake Condah Sustainable Development Project is currently preparing a World Heritage Listing nomination for the Budj Bim NHL.

The Budj Bim NHL Sustainable Tourism Plan was completed in 2007. The plan indicated up to 200,000 visitors per annum to the Budj Bim attraction by 2017. The plan also recommended a visitor information centre located in Heywood as critical. The Budj Bim Visitor Orientation Centre is scheduled for completion in early 2009.

World Heritage Listing of the Budj Bim NHL will mean that the whole fabric of Heywood will be changed, and creating an enormous new industry based around tourism. The Community Planning Group have already undertaken discussions with the LCSDP and considers planning for both the physical and business infrastructure that is going to be needed to support the tremendous increase in tourists into Heywood as crucial.

The Community Planning Group believes that the town centre needs planning to cope with:

  • huge numbers of vehicles and pedestrians (and tourists)
  • Amenity Blocks – (2-3) with shower and baby changing facilities as well as a dump point for motor homes.
  • a new tourist centre to cope with the huge and expected numbers
  • Business development particularly for those businesses to support tourism (food, accommodation, transport, etc).
  • Playground infrastructure and recreation areas (such as ApexPark and the river frontage).
  • Pedestrian safety and upgrading of road links to the LakeCondah development which includes providing increased signage.

In addition, an enormous amount of planning to promote Heywood needs to be undertaken both in terms of electronic and local literature to support the large numbers expected once world heritage listing has been completed.

By undertaking a planning assessment, all of the detail will be supplied by the community for government agencies to plan for the expected increase.

Project objectives:

  • To undertake a report that will provide a full assessment within 12 months of all issues expected to impact on the local community.
  • To undertake the organisation of a representative group that includes representatives of the community to drive the expected development forward.
  • To ensure the community are fully aware of potential change and are prepared for the coordinated approach to its development.

Action to be undertaken in two years:

  • To form an interim steering committee with representation from the community and government agencies to develop the assessment report.
  • The interim steering committee to formulate detail of the administrative and development arrangements for the next 3-5 years leading to the formation of a special development group for this purpose. The steering committee should be in place for a period of 6 months prior to making their recommendations for the development committee.
  • That a grant application is submitted to the Department of Planning and Community Development for $30,000 to prepare a coordinated report on all issues to be considered in the development of this project and that the interim steering committee is responsible for its management in order for the interim steering committee to determine and recommend the directions.
  • That Glenelg Shire Council is requested to act as an auspice body for a grant for this project and that the Chief Executive Officer and Group Manger Community Development are included on this interim steering committee.
  • That two representatives fromthe LCSDPare included on the interim steering committee.
  • That a brief for the preparation of the coordinating report be prepared by the 30th September 2008 with the report to be completed by February 2009.

Priority 3 – Timber – A new Heywood Industry

Brief description of the project:

As the timber industry becomes increasingly important in the Glenelg Shire with tree harvesting commencing in the near future, the Heywood community believes that it must welcome the development of a new industry from a business and a residential perspective. The community was disappointed with the loss of the pulp mill,howeverstill recognises the huge opportunities for local business development.There is the capacity for a range of businesses to increase their turnover by supporting the ever-growing timber industry in this area. The impact on business growth by attracting new business to support the timber industry in Heywood also provides increased opportunities for residential growth with flow on to schools and other community services. A report intothe outcome of the loss of the pulp mill for the Heywood community has yet to be undertaken. This is vital in to develop some form of community assessment and economic impact for the Heywood community. Initial promises were given that this would be provided through government agencies but an assessment report has yet to be developed or delivered. This assessment is vital in assisting the community in identifying actions that will benefit the community from the growth of the timber industry.

In addition, the community must also consider those disadvantages which may occur. Unintended consequences such as increased heavy traffic through the central business area of Heywood is of extreme concern to the Heywood community, since it conflicts directly with the image proposed in priority one of this community plan. In addition, there are obviously other disadvantages that need assessment in order for the community to overcome any further unintended consequences to the timber industry development in the Heywood district.

Project objectives:

  • To undertake an assessment of the timber industry to identify economic benefits.
  • To assess the potential changes to future infrastructure (industrial and residential land, power, water etc).
  • To ensure the government report (previously undertaken for the pulp mill proposal) is amended to meet the current circumstances (as offered by RDV at July 2007 meeting organised by DPCD). (It is noted that the Heywood scoping report has not been released yet.
  • To develop action plans to implement economic opportunities (i.e. new business attractions, new infrastructure etc).

Actions to commence priority:

  • That an assessment of the timber industry be completed in order for the community to assess the social, economic and environmental impacts on the Heywood community.
  • That the Heywood Community Planning Group and a representative from the Glenelg Shire, together with appropriate representation from the timber industry guide this report’s development in order for the report to be presented to the community by June 2009.
  • That funds be sought from government to undertake the assessment.
  • That the interim group recommend by June 2009 a series of suggestions for implementation of the report.

Priority 4 – Multi-purpose indoor centre including hydrotherapy

Brief description of the project:

The development of a multi-purpose indoor centre which provides a range of different activities including hydrotherapy (utilising geothermal energy), gymnasiums and a range of other activities is considered to be an important part of the health and social development of Heywood. By developing an indoor centre that involvesthe schools, the hospital and all sporting clubs will encourage broad community use, and is a way in which the community can ensure that such a project would provide genuine benefit and attract investment.

Project objectives:

  • Gauge the support of local groups / organisations for the project.
  • Gain “heads of agreement” from groups / organisations.
  • Develop a concept plan.
  • Arrange funding over succeeding years.

Actions to commence the priority:

  • The Heywood Community Planning Group to write and outline of the proposed project and circulate to all groups within the Heywood community.
  • As part of the outline being circulated to the Heywood community, an invitation should be issued for a special meeting to be undertaken by the Heywood Community Planning Group to establish the communities’ interest in pursuing this project. Following this meeting, a focus group should be formed to investigate the opportunities for this project to proceed.
  • That the focus group be established who will report to the Heywood District Planning Group and the community by the 30th June 2009.

Priority 5 – Mens Shed Project – Railway Precinct

Brief description of the project: