City awarded for planning prowess

The City of Greater Bendigo’s Hospital Precinct Structure Plan has won the Best Planning Ideas – Small Project category at this year’s Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Planning Excellence Awards.

City planners were also recognised for working collaboratively with Birchgrove Property to enable the development of a new community on a 125ha lot at Edwards Rd, Maiden Gully.

Planning and Development Director, Prue Mansfield, said the recognition highlighted the quality of the City’s planning staff.

“Our planners have been recognised in two of the 11 categories, which is a terrific result for the City of Greater Bendigo,” Ms Mansfield said.

The award for the Hospital Precinct Structure Plan was in recognition for outstanding planning ideas. It is awarded for planning documents, programs and policies or projects that advance current planning practice within a localised setting.

In presenting the Award, the PIA noted: “The plan demonstrates bold, city-shaping thinking. It shows a clear determination from Council to capitalise on State Government investment in extending the commercial centre of Bendigo. The structure plan shows excellent foresight in creating an environment that supports health and outdoor activity in planning, as well as innovation in the planning and urban design process. It is a thoughtful and positive attempt at incorporating health and wellbeing into planning”.

The second award was in the Hard Won Victory category and the project involved a Planning Scheme Amendment to enable a development at Edwards Road, Maiden Gully. It was presented to Birchgrove Property, in partnership with Sweett Group planners, Roberts Day urban design and the City. The award recognises a project that has applied innovative solutions and application of planning tools/techniques to planning challenges, which achieve outcomes with significant community benefits beyond what may have been otherwise realised.

Birchgrove Property Managing Director Damien Tangey said: “The judges clearly agreed that this project delivered a collaborative approach to achieving an outcome that delivers a win-win for all stakeholders, the council and most importantly the community”.

Ms Mansfield said the project showed what could be achieved when the public and private sectors worked collaboratively to deliver high quality outcomes for the community.

“This was truly a partnership project and the end result is something that Birchgrove Property and the City’s planners can rightly be very proud of,” she said.

For more information visit City of Greater Bendigo