Table of Contents - Nillumbik Shire Council

Hurstbridge Township Strategy4. Community Consultation OutcomesCommunity consultation has played a key role in the preparation of this Strategy. Theconsultation process has particularly assisted in the preparation of the township profile,SWOT analysis and planning strategy. The SWOT analysis is included in Appendix E.The first stage of the consultation process involved the identification of issues. The issuesraised by the community generally fall into the five categories:1. settlement and housing;2. environment;3. rural land use;4. economic development; and5. infrastructure.Community values have been summarised, and comprise a variety of views on the aboveissues. ‘Value’ can be defined as, ‘that property of a thing because of which it is esteemed,desirable or useful, or the degree of this property possessed; worth, merit or importance;any object or quality desirable as a means or as an end in itself; to regard or esteem highly’(The Macquarie Dictionary, Macquarie University, NSW, 1989).The second stage of the consultation process enabled the community to comment on thedraft Strategy. A brief summary of the main issues raised in response to the draft Strategyis incorporated at the end of each of the five key topics outlined above. A full summary isincluded in Appendix F.4.1 Settlement and HousingCommunity Views - Settlement and HousingOne of the major issues that is being considered as part of this Strategy revolves aroundsettlement patterns and housing supply and demand within the Hurstbridge area. There isa view held by some members of the community to allow further development around thetown. In contrast, other people are generally opposed to any further development outsidethe existing township area.The following lists some of the community views/attitudes in relation to the issue of furtherdevelopment in Hurstbridge:• Residential development should not be considered as inevitable for Hurstbridge.Some of us would like to see the current character retained as long as possible.• If there is any development at all it should be of a small scale.• With an expanding population encroaching all around us and land becoming morescarce; we cannot continue to be narrow minded about development. Hurstbridgewill become a ghost town if we do not allow moderate, carefully planned development.• We should not have to defend our way of life against developers whose only aim isprofit. Hurstbridge attracts people the way it is now. If we wanted greaterconvenience we would live nearer the city.• Moderate growth is needed to support local business.• Hurstbridge must remain a separate town and not merge into other suburbs.Nillumbik Shire Council – March 2002 20