WELLINGTON Shire Council will “take a punt” on the future growth of Rosedale after adopting a structure plan for the town.
The Rosedale Structure Plan outlines potential changes to zoning around Rosedale, which would eventually lead to a new planning scheme for the town.
The plan points to undeveloped residential 1 zoned land to the east of town behind the Rosedale Hotel, and future residential expansion to the west of Blind Joes Creek on the western end of town. The residential 1 zone provides for a range of dwelling types and densities.
There is also the potential for low density residential blocks to the south of Rosedale.
Opportunities to extend the business 1 zone, allowing for most retail and commercial activities along Prince St, have also been identified as well as the use of land north of the train station for a range of commercial, cultural and community use.
Co-locating the fire brigade on the current site of the State Emergency Service, the former Rosedale Shire depot, has been suggested.
A farm zoned area between Willung Rd and Mill Lane and south of the railway line will be investigated for potential uses, such as recreation facilities, industrial uses related to the nearby coal resources, office or commercial uses.
The land has been seen as well suited for industrial development, given its proximity to major roads and railway line and location between two existing industrial areas.
The viability of changes to zoning is dependent on a flood study and subsequent mitigation works.
Councillor Darren McCubbin said the structure plan was a road map to direct development in Rosedale.
“Do you take a punt on Rosedale as having sluggish growth in the future or do you take a punt on Rosedale as having the potential to grow and develop into one of Gippsland’s major residential areas?
“I would rather, at this stage, take a punt on the fact that Rosedale is going to grow,” Cr McCubbin said.
Rosedale, Cr McCubbin said, had the potential for growth with business opportunities in the Latrobe Valley and developments in Wellington Shire, such as projects at RAAF Base East Sale, possibly attracting a large amount to people to the area.
Cr Jane Hildebrant expressed concerns about not conducting a flood study before adopting the plan.
“This whole plan is predicated on a flood study that is yet to be undertaken for the shire and has not been funded. To me, it’s like putting the cart before the horse,” she said.
“If the flood study should show that the land in areas that we’ve designated for residential will be subject to flooding, we’ll have to go back to the drawing board.
“As Cr McCubbin has said, ‘we need to take a punt’, we very well might need a punt if the flood study shows areas that are earmarked for residential 1 are going to be flood affected.”
For more read Friday’s Gippsland Times.
