Bathurst Town Centre Master Plan
What Bathurst Said
The Bathurst Town Centre Master Plan provides a vision for improving seven city blocks within the Bathurst CBD, an area known as the Bathurst Town Centre.
Allen Jack + Cottier Architects (AJ+C) were invited to prepare the Master Plan for Bathurst Regional Council. The project was co-sponsored by Charles Sturt University (CSU), who were investigating the opportunities for a presence in the Bathurst CBD.
The Master Plan outlines AJ+C’s analysis of the existing condition of the Town Centre, the outcomes of stakeholder and community engagement undertaken in the development of the draft plan, and then makes several site or area-specific recommendations as well as CBD-wide master plan proposals. As CSU decided not to proceed with an investigation of a CBD presence, several options initially explored for campus facilities were subsequently identified as opportunities open for other uses.
‘Futureproofing our CBD’, Council’s Response to the Bathurst Town Centre Master Plan, summarises the key concepts proposed in the A J + C Master Plan. The ‘Futureproofing our CBD’ response did not recommend wholesale adoption of the Master Plan but outlined those elements of the Master Plan considered by Council to be appropriate for implementation into the future.
The community’s response to Council’s ‘Futureproofing Our CBD’ report was sought through a formal public exhibition process. “Futureproofing Our CBD” was exhibited for a one-month period with submissions closing on 24 May 2021. Late submissions were accepted.
As a result of the public exhibition process two hundred and six (206) submissions were received from members of the community as follows:
- 69 submissions from individuals
- 9 submissions that were identifiable as being from a business or landowner in the CBD
- 7 submissions from community groups
- 121 submissions based on a pro-forma survey prepared by a community member.
Council also received a petition against the proposed closure of Russell Street prior to the public exhibition period commencing. The petition was signed by 1,259 persons.
A range of voices were heard and messages received during the public exhibition period. These have been collated in the report: Futureproofing our CBD (Council’s Response to the Bathurst Town Centre Master Plan) – “What Bathurst Said”.
The “What Bathurst Said” report is presented in five volumes (available from the document library) as follows:
- Volume 1 (Submission Summary) summarises the public exhibition process. It collates and summarises the range of matters raised at the public information sessions and from the range of submissions received as a result of the public exhibition process.
- Volume 2 (Key Messages) provides a summary of the key messages heard against Council’s Futureproofing our CBD response to the Master Plan.
- Volume 3 (Copy of Submissions) contains copies of the individual submissions received during the public exhibition process.
- Volume 4 - parts 1 and 2 (Copy of Pro Forma Submissions) contains copies of the pro forma submissions received during the public exhibition process.
- Volume 5 (Copy of Petition) contains a copy of the petition received prior to the public exhibition process against a permanent road closure of Russell St.
A broader summary of the key messages heard is also provided in the document library.
Where to from here
Council staff are currently developing a final response for Council to consider with respect to the AJ+C Master Plan, through a revision of the “Futureproofing our CBD” report. Council’s final response to the Master Plan will consider the response from the community as summarised in the “What Bathurst Said” report.
A revised “Futureproofing our CBD” report will be presented to Council for its consideration early in 2022.