Structure plan ideas sought

By Lilly O’Gorman
ROADS, parking and heritage overlays were the main concerns raised by residents at a recent meeting held to help shape Beaconsfield’s future structure plan.
Cardinia Shire Council has released an issues and opportunities paper to allow residents to have their say on the structure plan, which will replace the Beaconsfield Township Strategy adopted in 2001.
About 40 people attended an information session hosted by the council at the Beaconsfield Community Centre last Thursday evening.
President of the Beaconsfield Progress Association Graeme Taylor attended the meeting, and said the BPA’s main concerns were with heritage overlays and car parking.
“We also appreciate Cardinia Creek and its environmental value to the area. A lot is said about that in the paper, so that’s good,” Mr Taylor said.
“Beaconsfield is pretty much developed anyway, so it is not like we are starting afresh like Officer.”
Beaconsfield resident and former Cardinia Shire mayor and councillor Garry Runge said the council did not seem to be considering the issues initially raised in the 2001 township strategy.
“It’s disappointing that the council seems to be moving away from what the community wants,” Mr Runge said.
“The volume of traffic in Wood Street and residential streets has increased immensely over the past five years and little has been done,” he said.
“The only good thing is the signalization of the Wood Street intersection and the closure of the pedestrian crossing which should’ve been done years ago.”
Traffic, transport and car parking issues are addressed in the opportunities paper, along with housing, retail and commercial development, infrastructure, environment, heritage and open space, and urban design.
Cardinia Shire Councillor Brett Owen said he was pleased with the turn out at the information session and encouraged all residents to have their say.
He hoped council would provide long-term answers to the issues of car parking and traffic movement.
“Traffic has increased a lot in the last 10 years, and we’ve got to address that,” Cr Owen said.
Submissions on the opportunities paper must be made to council, in writing, by Wednesday 23 May.
The draft structure plan is expected to be released in either June or July, with public consultation scheduled for August and September. The date for the release of the final structure plan has not been confirmed.
A second information session will be held on Thursday 3 May from 1.30pm to 3pm at the Beaconsfield Community Centre, O’Neil Road, Beaconsfield.