ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN BACKGROUND REPORT 21 April 2006 CONTENTS 1.0 Background 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Planning Context 2 1.3 The Team 3 1.4 Approach 5 2.0 Summary 8 2.1 Development Constraints 8 Figure 1 10 2.2 Development Opportunity 11 Figure 2 15 2.3 Development Capacity 16 Figure 3 19 2.4 Land Ownership 20 Figures 4 & 5 21-22 3.0 Site Analysis 23 3.1 Location Context and Built Environment 23 Figures 6 - 9 25-28 3.2 Policy Context 29 Figures 10 - 12 31-33 3.3 Economic Activity and Employment 34 Figure 13 38 3.4 Community and Social 39 Figures 14 & 15 46-47 3.5 Indigenous Cultural Heritage 48 Figure 16 51 3.6 European Cultural Heritage 52 Figure 17 54 3.7 Natural Environment – Flora and Fauna 55 Figure 18 58 3.8 Open Space and Recreation 59 Figure 19 64 3.9 Movement and Access 65 Figures 20 - 23 69-72 3.10 Physical Infrastructure 73 Figures 24 - 30 82-88 3.11 Flooding and Drainage 89 Figures 31 - 33 93-95 Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan – Background Report i April 2006 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN 1.0 Background 1.1 Introduction The Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan is one of the City of Greater Geelong’s largest and most important strategic projects. It aims to concentrate the majority of the growth of Geelong into a comprehensive community in the area south of the railway line at Grovedale and Marshall. This will enable the creation of a community that is sustainable in all aspects – environmentally, socially and economically. The Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan will include the following key outputs: (cid:131) Background Report (this document) (cid:131) Vision (cid:131) Draft Urban Growth Plan (cid:131) Planning Scheme Amendment (cid:131) Final Urban Growth Plan This Background Report summarises the context, opportunities and challenges for development of the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth area. It draws together the key findings from a series of specialist technical reports undertaken as part of the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan (UGP) project between November 2005 and February 2006, and includes a summary of the development constraints, opportunities and capacity of the study area. The Location Context section describes the geographical context of the study area in relation to Geelong, Torquay, Surf Coast Shire, Golden Plains Shire and the Bellarine Peninsula, as well as describing and mapping the surrounding land uses. The subsequent sections summarise the Technical Reports, which include a review of previous studies, new investigations (where required) and an audit of the Study Area’s existing natural, built, cultural and social environments. This Background Report and the more detailed Technical Reports and their associated maps will guide the preparation of the UGP to ensure that it is based on a thorough assessment of land capability, that the constraints and opportunities are clearly understood prior to the commencement of forward planning and that the UGP considers its local context including its relationship with adjacent urban areas. Background Report (April 2006) 1 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN 1.2 Planning Context The Armstrong Creek area was originally designated as a growth corridor in the 1980s by the Geelong Region Commission. This was reinforced in 1994 by the Mount Duneed Armstrong Creek Urban Development Study. The status of this area as Geelong’s future urban growth corridor was confirmed again in the City’s Urban Growth Strategy 1996 and is supported by a range of Council documents including the Municipal Strategic Statement. Armstrong Creek is the major growth area identified in the Geelong Region Plan, currently being prepared by the G21 organisation. The area has great potential for urban development, with existing railway services and good road links to central Geelong, Barwon Heads, Torquay and the Surf Coast. It provides the opportunity for future residents to take advantage of the employment opportunities and services offered by Geelong city, whilst being only a short distance from the beaches of the Surf Coast and the Bellarine Peninsula. This, combined with the undulating topography of parts of the land makes the area very attractive for a healthy residential and business environment. Background Report (April 2006) 2 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN 1.3 The Team This project is being undertaken by a specialist consultant team lead by David Lock Associates. Their roles are as follows: David Lock Associates – Project leadership and management, Strategic Planning, Urban Design Arup – Statutory Planning, Transport Planning and Engineering, Civil Engineering, GIS Mapping SGS – Economic Research and Planning, Development Contributions Applied Development Research – Activity Centre Economics Urbis JHD – Social and Community Planning and Demographic Research, Open Space and Recreation Planning Lorraine Huddle – European Cultural Heritage Assessment Heritage Insight – Indigenous Cultural Heritage Assessment Ecology Australia – Flora and Fauna Research, Environmental Planning Water Technology – Drainage and Flood Engineering The consultant team is guided by a number of groups, including: (cid:131) Council’s Internal Management Group (cid:131) Council’s Project Management Team (cid:131) A Steering Committee (cid:131) A Technical Working Group (cid:131) Community Groups Forum Background Report (April 2006) 3 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN Internal Management Group This is an internal group of Council managers to provide internal project leadership, direction and to ensure that there are sufficient staff and other resources allocated to the project. The Internal Management Group has a role in ensuring that the Urban Growth Plan is supported as a high priority project across Council Businesses Project Management Team The Council Project Team's role is to direct and manage the project on behalf of Council. The Project Team is responsible for project reporting, budgeting, resources, timelines and outputs. The Team oversees the lead consultants and administers the Steering Committee, Internal Management Group and the Technical Working Group. The Team manages the overall public consultation program including organising community group and landowner forums and workshops. Steering Committee The role of the Steering Committee is to provide high level direction on key issues and to allow Council project staff and the Lead Consultant (David Lock Associates) to advise on the progress of the project. This committee includes the City of Greater Geelong Mayor, Ward Councillor, CEO and General Managers, and high level representatives from key government agencies being Barwon Water, Vic Roads, DSE, Barwon Health, DOI, DET and G21. The steering committee meets at key milestones, or approximately every 2 to 3 months. Technical Working Group The role of the Technical Working Group is to provide technical advice on the project, ensure all relevant technical issues are considered, guide the preparation of specialist consultant’s briefs and assist with managing the specialist consultants. The Technical Working group occasionally meets as a large group. Community Groups Forum The role of the Community Groups Forum is to provide an opportunity for the broader community and key stakeholders to have input into the development of the Urban Growth Plan. Opportunities for targeted consultation are provided including a separate forum to allow land owners and developers access to information and briefings on the urban growth planning process. Background Report (April 2006) 4 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN 1.4 Approach This project represents a unique opportunity to create a sustainable urban extension of Geelong. It will utilise current best practice in urban development, including the following planning and design principles: (cid:131) Seamless urban extensions—to ensure residents of new urban areas are not isolated, provided by: o Numerous connections (streets and pedestrian/cycle paths) o Continuous open space links o Shared community facilities (schools, libraries, community centres, etc) o Sensitive interfaces … between the existing and new development areas. (cid:131) Green Infrastructure—a ‘skeleton’ of retained green spaces, including: o Ecological networks (flora and fauna habitats and linkages between them) o Floodplains o Farmland of high agricultural value o Recreational areas (parkland) o Forests (for recreation and as carbon sinks) o Areas of natural beauty (cid:131) Sustainable travel - public transport—supported by: o Concentration of higher trip-generating uses and densities (employment areas, shops, schools, higher-density housing, etc) on public transport nodes o Effective bus routes – central and accessible o Priority for road-based public transport (dedicated lanes, tram/ bus boarders, etc) o High quality image (attractive trains/ trams/ buses and stations/ stops) o Early provision in the development of the new urban area (cid:131) Sustainable travel - walking & cycling—supported by: o Permeable and legible street network o Dedicated provision for cyclists on busy streets, on public transport and at destinations o Pedestrian friendly streets (footpaths both sides, trees, verandahs/ colonnades in commercial areas, etc) o Buildings addressing the street (and no high front fences) Background Report (April 2006) 5 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN (cid:131) Walkable neighbourhoods—development precincts in which people can walk to their daily needs, created by: o Walkable neighbourhoods as organising structure (whole urban development divided into neighbourhoods small enough so that it is a comfortable walk from the periphery to the centre, each with a neighbourhood centre in the middle) o Sufficient density to ensure catchment for daily needs (corner shop, primary school, etc) o Larger parks on the periphery of the neighbourhood (to avoid reducing the catchment within comfortable walking distance of the centre) o Daily needs provided in neighbourhood centres (including corner shop and bus/ tram stop) (cid:131) Housing choice—provided by: o Wide range of house types o Mixed private and social housing (not segregated into separate estates) o Integrated retirement communities (not gated) o ‘Lifetime houses’ (flexible enough to respond to changing household needs) (cid:131) Local employment—provided by: o Jobs-homes balance (as many jobs as the size of the working population) o Relocation of major employers into area o Economic development programs (to stimulate new local businesses) (cid:131) Community building—the development of a sense of community, facilitated by: o Community facilities as a focal point (community centre, school, library, etc) o Early provision of community facilities and services in the development of the new urban area o Community building programs (residents groups, etc) o Parks that perform (properly landscaped, overlooked and provided with play equipment, not just leftover spaces) (cid:131) Mixed-use, street-based activity centres—integrated shopping, business and civic centres, characterised by: o Location on main thoroughfares, where they will benefit from exposure (and not necessarily in the middle of their catchment) o Mixed use (not just shops) Background Report (April 2006) 6 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN o Street orientation, hidden parking (streets lined by buildings, not car parking) o Mixed ownership/tenure (not all owned by one company, to facilitate diversity—particularly through inclusion of independent retailers) (cid:131) Green services—environmentally-sensitive physical services, including: o Greywater reuse (recycling of household water for toilets and gardens, etc) o Sustainable drainage (water sensitive urban design) o Renewable energy (solar power, waste-to-energy, etc) o Recycling (cid:131) Green buildings—environmentally-sensitive building design, including: o Energy-efficient buildings o Rainwater harvesting (for use in toilets and on gardens) o ‘loose-fit’ homes (able to respond to changes in household needs) (cid:131) Sense of place—a distinctive image, potentially generated by: o Response to site (views of hilltops, retention of mature trees, etc) o Creation or reinforcement of local character (through building design ‘themes’, etc) o Focal points (such as a town square or village green) o Building and urban design quality o Public art Background Report (April 2006) 7 ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN 2.0 SUMMARY 2.1 Development Constraints The development of the Armstrong Creek area must address the following constraints: Location Context and Built Environment (cid:131) Barwon River and Reedy Lake – flood constraints, physical constraint (cid:131) Buffer zone of area to west abutting future quarry site - expected to commence in 5 – 6 years (cid:131) Geelong Memorial Park and Crematorium – limits adjacent development (cid:131) Geelong Airport site whilst in use, requires buffer zones although it has been sold for future redevelopment (cid:131) Poultry farms, whilst in use require buffer zones (cid:131) Site contamination around the former Tanneries in the Marshall Industrial Area (cid:131) Railway line as a barrier (cid:131) Geelong Bypass as a barrier (cid:131) Retention of key views to Mount Duneed (cid:131) Protection and sensitivity of flora and fauna to development (cid:131) Protection and sensitivity of Armstrong Creek and hydrological characteristics of the creek (cid:131) High grade agricultural land – whether or not it should be protected (cid:131) Visual impact of industrial buildings across the Barwon River in Breakwater (cid:131) Fragmented land ownership Economic Activity and Employment (cid:131) Further industrial development in existing IN1Z area – poor road access for large trucks and existing investment in housing (cid:131) One company – John Wood Transport, livestock and general transport company employing one person – should not be forced to relocate (cid:131) Viticulture – buffers (cid:131) VicRoads bypass – providing linkages across (cid:131) Rail line – providing linkages across to existing suburbs north of the railway line Community and Social (cid:131) Difficult access to nearby community and social facilities Indigenous Cultural Heritage (cid:131) Heritage places and views – are protected European Cultural Heritage (cid:131) Heritage places – State and Local Level – are protected Natural Environment - Flora and Fauna (cid:131) Need to avoid impacts to Lake Connewarre through altered hydrological regimes (cid:131) Need to protect values along Armstrong Creek and Barwon River Background Report (April 2006) 8