Following community consultation and incredible response to the online survey, the next stage of the Stawell Town Plan: A Vision for the Future, will be an online exhibition of the draft plan for the Urban Design Framework for the Western Highway Precinct.
The draft Urban Design Framework will be available online as a virtual exhibition for residents to view from 24 August for three weeks.
Residents will be able to view the draft plan on council's website and give further feedback via an online survey. Stakeholder workshops will also take place via Zoom due to current pandemic restrictions.
The plan forms a fundamental part of council's strategic vision and aims to reinvigorate the township of Stawell to cater for future development needs making it a more functional, attractive and enjoyable place for both visitors and locals.
The Urban Design Framework for the Western Highway Precinct is the first part of the Stawell Town Plan project that mainly focuses on the findings and recommendations related to the Western Highway precinct of Stawell.
The broader town plan guiding the vision for the whole township will form the second part of the project, which is expected to be exhibited in November.
This plan focuses on the public and private land along the highway in Stawell and acknowledges the proposed Western Highway duplication including the future intersection upgrade at London Road.
A vital consideration of the plan is to improve the first impression of the town along the highway with streetscaping and harmonious development to make Stawell feel more cohesive and purpose-driven. The Western Highway precinct design also aims to entice travellers to both stop and rest at strategic locations along the highway and to turn off to visit the town centre.
Northern Grampians Shire Council Mayor, Murray Emerson, thanked the community for their enthusiastic and valuable feedback and encouraged all residents to take part in this next phase of consultation.
"This is a great opportunity for locals to continue to have their say to help to make Stawell a better place to 'live, work, invest and visit,'" he said.
"Council is very pleased with the proposals for the Western Highway precinct being put forward by the consultants, and we think this will stimulate a lot of positive discussion within the community in this second phase of consultation."
"First impressions count in country towns when it comes to driving economic growth and encouraging potential residents to settle here. It's also critically important to make sure our town functions well for existing residents and continues to make them proud."
The Australian Government jointly funded this plan through the Building Better Regions Fund in conjunction with the Northern Grampians Shire Council.
