Plan2Place Consulting worked with Greater Bendigo – Victoria’s second largest regional municipality – to prepare a new Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategy for the established areas of Bendigo and the towns of Heathcote, Axedale, Goornong and Elmore. The Greater Bendigo population is forecast to grow to around 200,000 over the next 30 years and different forms of development will be required over this time to meet the ever changing needs of households. Our team partnered with Design Urban, Charter Keck Cramer, Quantify and Landmark Heritage.

The Strategy provided the framework for areas of housing change and update the neighbourhood character components of the planning scheme. It encouraged greater densities in locations such as activity centres and along key transit routes, and managed growth in areas impacted by bushfire, with identified environmental significance, heritage places and areas with other constraints.

The Strategy formed a critical input into Council’s Managed Growth Strategy which provides the broader residential strategic framework for the entire municipality. This work underpins the application of the residential zones consistent with Planning Practice Notes 90 and 91 and is supported by robust strategic justification.

The strategy was informed by community and stakeholder consultation and the consideration of submissions in late 2024. Implementation of the strategy will be subject to a planning scheme amendment.