Elsie Lange
The community consultation period on Macedon Ranges council’s Romsey Structure Plan emerging options paper finished in early April, which will shape the draft structure plan this year.
Over six weeks, residents made a total of 419 online and hardcopy survey responses, as well as 56 written submissions.
Council’s Planning and Environment director Rebecca Stockfeld said minutes from a community-led meeting attended by council representatives was also included as a submission.
“We thank Romsey community members, businesses and landowners for their genuine interest and involvement in this project so far. It’s so important to tap into people’s local knowledge and concerns,” Ms Stockfeld said.
“It’s fair to say council hears the calls from local community members for services and facilities to match any future growth in Romsey, as a large district town.”
Sixty people attending council’s two face-to-face, drop-in sessions, and 76 attended project consultants Plan2Place’s online presentation and question session.
Council said the themes of questions raised in the webinar included township growth and waste-water impacts, services and facilities, sustainability, transport and the project’s engagement with community.
She said planning officers and consultants are together preparing a council report on how the draft Romsey Structure Plan will address key issues.
“We are also working on getting redacted copies of surveys and submissions onto Council’s webpage for everyone to view,” Ms Stockfeld said.
“Development of the draft Romsey Structure Plan will continue with further consultation in future stages. We are committed to achieving positive long term outcomes for the community.”
