Table of Contents - Nillumbik Shire Council

Hurstbridge Township StrategyTownship CharretteThe Township Charrette was held over the weekend of 10 and 11 July, 1999. The main aimof the Hurstbridge Charrette was to identify planning issues and develop practical actionsthat can be implemented to address these issues.The term ‘charrette’ is commonly used to refer to collaborative planning exercisesundertaken in a short space of time which are generally used to efficiently gain input andideas from the community about design and/or land use issues.The Charrette was undertaken at Hurstbridge to encourage greater communityparticipation and to allow immediate data collection and site inspections. Approximately 50people attended each day of the Charrette, and a wide range of views were expressed duringthe workshop sessions.There was sufficient opportunity for participants in the Charrette to discuss issues andwork through potential solutions. The main issues discussed at the Charrette related tothemes of traffic and transport, the environment, retail and tourism opportunities,recreation and open space, streetscape and landscape design and land-use planning issues.To facilitate discussion, attendees formed several workshop groups to address individualtheme topics. Each workshop group was required to identify the main issues within eachtheme and identify possible actions or solutions. Each group was also given an opportunityto prioritise their proposed actions and/or identify those criteria against which all futureworks and development should meet.The issues identified as part of the Charrette have assisted in focusing discussion andworking through possible solutions to the key issues identified in the brief. The issuesarising from the Charrette were a key element in the preparation of the questionnaire thatwas subsequently sent to households in the Hurstbridge area.QuestionnaireA questionnaire was prepared with both open and closed questions, to gain a broaderperspective on those issues that appear to be of most concern to the Hurstbridgecommunity. Approximately 1,100 questionnaires were sent to households in the studyarea, with around 300 being returned (almost 25%). It should be noted that while aresponse was received from nearly one-quarter of all households notified, the number ofresponses represents less than 10% of the total population.Responses to the closed questions were similar to the attitudes of those sections of thecommunity participating in the Charrette. The provision of open-ended questions enabledan opportunity for respondents to identify specific issues of concern and present their viewson a range of topics. Many of the comments forwarded by respondents are included inSection 5.The questionnaire also provided an opportunity for people to identify what qualities theymost value as well as identification of the main threats to the quality of life in Hurstbridge.The full results from the questionnaire can be found in Appendix A.Consultative TeamsAs part of the community consultation process, three consultative teams were establishedwith members appointed by the Nillumbik Shire Council. The Consultative Teams were:1. Land use, infrastructure and planning;2. Environment, landscape, townscape, design and heritage; andNillumbik Shire Council – March 2002 16