Glen Innes Severn Council is inviting the community to help shape a new approach to planning for the future of the region’s towns, villages, public spaces and key destinations.
The draft Glen Innes Highlands Precincts Activation Framework and Strategy is now on public exhibition and outlines how Council and local communities can work together to identify priorities and plan improvements over the short, medium and long term.
Mayor, Margot Davis said the Framework and Strategy recognises that successful planning combines strategic thinking with local knowledge.
“Council can provide the planning framework, but the people who live, work and spend time in these places bring the knowledge and experience that makes planning meaningful,” Mayor Davis said.
“This is about working together to identify the opportunities, challenges and priorities that matter most to each community.
“Our towns, villages, parks and community spaces are all different, and the people who know them best are the
people who use them every day.”
The draft Framework and Strategy provides a structured approach for planning across the Glen Innes Highlands, including the Glen Innes town centre, villages, community facilities, recreation areas, heritage spaces and key destinations throughout the Local Government Area.
Under the proposed Framework and Strategy, Council will undertake comprehensive community consultation to inform the preparation of masterplans, concept plans or other place-based plans suited to each location. This work will begin with Council’s villages, commencing in Deepwater, before progressing to the Glen Innes town centre, public spaces and other key destinations across the Local Government Area.
Each plan will provide a clear guide for future improvements, helping Council to plan and prioritise capital works, pursue grant funding and respond when new opportunities arise. Most importantly, the process will give each community a genuine opportunity to work with Council to shape the future of the places they know best. Rather than locking in projects or design outcomes, the document establishes a process for identifying priorities, planning improvements and creating a pipeline of future projects that can be delivered as opportunities and funding become available.
“Good planning isn’t about deciding everything at once. It’s about understanding what matters most to each community, planning carefully for the future and being ready to act when opportunities arise,” Mayor Davis said.
“The Framework will also deliver a pipeline of future projects. Grant funding bodies want to see that proposed projects are supported by the community, properly planned and realistically costed.
“By developing masterplans, concept plans or other suitable place-based plans through comprehensive consultation, Council will be better positioned to pursue funding and deliver the improvements our communities have identified as priorities.”
To help community members understand the draft document and what it means in practical terms, Council has also prepared an accompanying summary sheet and frequently asked questions. These supporting documents explain the purpose of the Framework and Strategy, how future consultation and plan development will occur, and the difference between providing feedback on the draft Framework and participating in consultation about a particular place.
Council is also preparing to commence two months of in-depth engagement with the Deepwater community throughout July and August. The process will begin this Friday 3 July with a meeting with the Deepwater Progress Association, followed by an informal introductory community pop-up from 1pm to 3pm at The Makers Shed.
“We are currently asking the broader community to provide feedback on the Framework and Strategy itself, including whether it identifies the right places, opportunities and overall approach,” said General Manager, Bernard Smith.
“At the same time, we are beginning a much more detailed conversation with the Deepwater community about the future of their village and how they would like to participate in that process.
“These are two different but connected conversations, and both will help guide future planning across the Glen Innes Highlands,” he said.
Council’s aim is to work with as many people in the Deepwater community as possible and provide a range of ways for people to contribute throughout July and August.
The draft Framework and Strategy and supporting information can be viewed and commented on via Council’s Have Your Say page: https://haveyoursay.gisc.nsw.gov.au/glen-innes-highlands-precincts-and-activation-framework.
