East Gippsland Shire Council has welcomed community feedback to date on two important plans to guide the future of rural land use and the growth of towns in East Gippsland over the next 20 years.
The Rural Land Use and Housing and Settlement Strategies aim to balance the need for housing and the growth of East Gippsland's towns with the need to protect and enhance rural areas and the environment.
Mayor, Cr Mark Reeves, has welcomed the community feedback that has been provided since consultation began in November 2022 and is encouraging people to have their say before consultation closes in early February.
"The development of these strategies is vital to shape the future of East Gippsland's urban and rural areas. Council appreciates that the issues covered by the strategies are complex and will affect different parts of our community in different ways. We encourage people to continue to put their thoughts and suggestions forward," he said.
"Feedback to date has highlighted the opportunities and challenges in planning for the growth of our towns and the use of rural land. Our community clearly understands the need to protect agricultural land for farming activities to strengthen our economy. There is also a strong awareness of the need for compact, sustainable and safe towns for people to live in," he said.
"There are, however, some policy recommendations that have generated localised concern for some community members. For example, individual rural landowners have raised concerns that the draft strategies do not support their future development aspirations. This feedback is equally important for us to understand and will assist in shaping and strengthening the strategies," he added.
