Mansfield Shire Council says demand for new housing across the Shire is at an all-time high with homebuyers escaping Melbourne looking for a tree change.
Council says access to quality, well-connected open spaces throughout local neighbourhoods was critical to the community’s growth, health and wellbeing.
Mayor Mark Holcombe said Council had recognised the need for the growing community to develop an Open Spaces Strategy.
“Open spaces across the Mansfield Shire have recently been reviewed against the needs of our growing population,” Mayor Holcombe said.
“We want to make sure that as more land is developed, what we love about our Shire and the lifestyle it offers is enhanced and protected, and to do this we need a strategy that guides the use of development contributions in the future,” he said.
“Current open spaces across the Shire such as Botanic Park and the Mullum Wetlands are highly valued by the community.
“Council is working hard to ensure that future developments will continue to incorporate and utilise open spaces that maintain our quality of life by being suitably located, appropriately sized, designed and equipped.
”It will also outline actions and priorities and the need to continually invest in our open spaces, including financial contributions from developers.”
Residents and ratepayers are being invited to tell Council what they value in existing open spaces such as public parks, gardens, reserves and waterways, plus make suggestions for what new open spaces across the Shire should offer.
