Draft Policy - Urban Design Excellence – R3 Medium Density and E1 Local Centre Zones
Council introduced the R3 Medium Density Zone within the City of Bathurst in 2023 and applied it to lands within the Laffing Waters Master Plan precinct. Council is aware of other sites within the city for which a medium density zoning may be sought in the future.
The Bathurst 2036 Housing Strategy identifies a range of opportunities to increase living densities within the City of Bathurst, both in new release areas and as infill/urban renewal projects within the existing City footprint.
As these opportunities evolve, development might also occur within the existing and new Neighbourhood Activity Centres located within the E1 Local Centre Zone. The E1 Local Centres zone currently applies to existing Neighbourhood Activity Centres at Westpoint, Trinity Heights, and Kelso Centrepoint and to proposed centres at Laffing Waters and Eglinton.
To support these new opportunities, it is considered appropriate that guiding principles, similar to those adopted for the CBD, be considered to manage the design and function of the public realm in those localities zoned or proposed to be zoned R3 Medium Density and E1 Local Centre. It is therefore proposed that Council consider a new Policy to encourage design excellence for new developments in the R3 Medium Density and E1 Local Centre zones. It is also proposed to embed that design excellence at the strategic level when there are new planning proposals proposed to rezone lands to the R3 Medium Density or E1 Local Centre zones.
Draft Policy:
Council has placed on public exhibition a draft Policy, Urban Design Excellence – R3 Medium Density and E1 Local Centres Zone, to establish the guiding principles to encourage design excellence in the public realm of those localities zoned or proposed to be zoned R3 Medium Density and E1 Local Centre.
The draft Policy is on public exhibition for 28 days from 4 March to 5 April 2024.
Council invites written submissions in relation to the draft Policy. Submissions should be lodged with Council no later than 1 April 2024.
The draft Policy is available in the document library.