Part of the site of the proposed new town of Brimbin.
THE community has a chance over the next three days to see for itself the exciting plans for the entire new town of Brimbin, north of Taree.
First mooted in 1990, and now to accommodate 8000 new homes over several decades and to inject up to 10,000 new jobs into the Manning community, the proposal has taken a welcome step forward with a series of information and feedback sessions in the Taree CBD tomorrow, Friday and Saturday.
Greater Taree City Council invites members of the public to visit the Brimbin New Town display at 10-12 Manning Street (the old Telstra Store) in Taree.
"This is an exciting project for the region and the display offers the community the opportunity to come along and talk through the proposal with the applicants and their consultants," a council spokesperson said.
The display will be open tomorrow and Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am until 2pm. Council's strategic planning staff will be present each day to answer any questions the public might have about the proposal.
The information session is part of a commitment by the developers, the Roche Group, to work with the community in refining its planning for the new town, encouraging residents to share their thoughts and any questions with the project team.
Feedback forms will be available, which should be lodged by March 29, before consultants prepare an outcomes report to the city council by late April.
In order for the proposal to go ahead, an amendment will be needed to council's existing Local Environment Plan, enabling mixed use land occupation of the site which is currently used for grazing.
The initial concept of a new town came from the city council in 1990, eager to develop a vast tract of pastoral land between Cundletown and Lansdowne as a satellite suburb.
The original landholding of the late DK Hammond was sold in 2002 to developers the Roche Group (known locally for creation of Harington Waters, and nationally and internationally for the Hunter Valley Gardens).
Roche Group now wholly owns an area of 3763 hectares at Brimbin, eight kilometres north-west of Taree, where it now proposes to provide residential, employment, recreation and conservation uses.
Its vision is for "a new settlement which respects and reflects its unique natural setting, fosters a healthy community, sustains a productive agricultural economy, and complements Taree".
At present about half the site is cleared and used for pastoral purposes; the other half comprises two large lakes and extensive vegetation.
Roche Group proposes a mixed use development that:
o provides 8000 new homes over several decades, including apartments, small houses, cottages, terraces, villas and large houses to cater for people at every stage of life
o injects up to 10,000 new jobs into the Greater Taree area, attracts new skills and helps retain younger people in the local workforce
o encourages local enterprise with a mix of rural land, mixed employment precincts, new business incubators and connections to innovative neighbourhood centres in 'walkable' communities
o reduces greenhouse gas emissions through intelligent building orientation and design, and encourages sustainable transport
o creates a network of green spaces to provide a safe and connected environment for different ages and lifestyles
o celebrates Brimbin's natural beauty through green, leafy, tree-lined streets, open spaces and reserves
o celebrates Brimbin's natural beauty through green, leafy, tree-lined streets, open spaces and reserves
* prioritises sustainability with community gardens, small farms and 'edible' streets allowing neighbourhoods to work together to cultivate local organic produce.
Also in the plan is extensive social infrastructure including:
* Three primary schools and a high school with provision for a special school
* A multi-purpose community centre and branch library providing spaces for youth and seniors community activities, meeting rooms, outreach community health and support services, playgroups and education
* Police and emergency services
* Public transport services linking sites within the new town and surrounding areas including Taree.
At this stage, almost 1000 hectares of the land is proposed to be dedicated to National Parks and to the city council, which means that native flora and fauna will be protected and maintained into the future. This will include nature reserves and replanting areas to offset any vegetation that may be impacted by the development.
Sensitive areas will remain in their natural state, with low impact provisions for trails, cycleways and viewing platforms to enable residents and visitors to enjoy the surroundings.
For more information on the plan, or about the public sessions over the next three days, refer to council's website www.gtcc.nsw.gov.au. Go to Development Major Projects.