Neighbourhood Character Strategy for Nillumbik

This is to inform you that Council has commenced a first round of community engagement for a project to develop Nillumbik’s new Neighbourhood Character Strategy. The future Strategy will be an important planning policy document for identifying and protecting neighbourhood character in the residential areas of the Shire, which also includes the designated rural townships of Panton Hill, Hurstbridge and St Andrews. The project is being managed by Council’s Strategic Planning Unit.

The first round of engagement has now opened and will run until 11.59pm Sunday 8 May 2022 .

This engagement period seeks to:

· To inform the community about the project, the concept of neighbourhood character, the Strategy and the process to develop the Strategy.

· To engage on what the community values about its neighbourhoods. Specifically, to capture what the community sees as important to neighbourhood character in residential areas of the Shire (including within the designated rural townships of Panton Hill, Hurstbridge and St Andrews).

This engagement will seek to capture the community’s input on neighbourhood character by inviting community members to complete a survey (available online, or as a hard copy), or by making a general written submission.

A page dedicated to this project and the current first round of community engagement has been created on Council’s Participate Nillumbik website.

The following is a link to the project page on Participate Nillumbik: Neighbourhood Character Strategy | Participate Nillumbik

The page on Participate Nillumbik has a variety of resources, such as:

A full summary of the project and how it relates to planning for housing in the Shire. This additional information includes access to a virtual walking tour video on neighbourhood character; showing various examples around the Shire.
A summary brochure for the project and a set of Frequently Asked Questions with responses related to the neighbourhood character and the project.
Interactive and hard copy maps that allow people to view the study area for the project and clarify which properties are included. The interactive mapping tool that allows people to search a Nillumbik property by address to see if it is in the study area for the project.
Information on how people can provide input to the various forms of public engagement (first engagement period commences 28 March 2022 and closes 8 May 2022). Currently, this includes completing an online or hard copy survey as well as a space to lodge a submission electronically in the event that people would prefer to make a general written submission, rather than complete the survey). Hard copies of the survey are also available and are being provided at community facilities such as the Shire’s Living and Learning Centres and the Eltham and Diamond Valley branches of the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service. Details are also provided for three pop-up information stalls being held in the Shire where people can come and speak to Council officers about the project.
Ability to register to stay informed about the project.
Details of the key milestones for the project.
Information about how to find more information about the project, including speaking with relevant Council Strategic Planning officers and more.

We have also attached to this email some promotion engagement material (e.g. postcards and posters [sized A4 and A3]) if you wish to assist us in getting the word out to the community about the project and current engagement period. They can be placed in your reception areas or staff rooms. Alternatively we have prepared a little excerpt below about the project if you would like to place some content in your school newsletter/bulletin when school resumes for Term 2. We have also subsequently attached our graphic illustration for the project (as seen in the collateral material) if you wish to use it in your newsletter.

Developing a new Neighbourhood Character Strategy for Nillumbik – Have your say

Neighbourhood character is what visually differentiates one

Neighbourhood from another, and is the measure of local

identity.

Nillumbik Shire Council is working on a new Neighbourhood

Character Strategy for the Shire and we want your

input into what you think is important to

neighbourhood character in the Shire’s residential areas,

including in its rural townships.

An initial round of community engagement is open

until 11.59pm on Sunday 8 May. You can provide

your input by:

• Attending one of our pop-up engagement stalls

• Completing a short survey, or making a submission.

How to get involved

View details of the project, including pop-up information sessions,

watch a virtual walking tour video, and complete a

survey (or make a submission) by visiting Participate Nillumbik at

participate.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/

neighbourhood-character-strategy

You can also email strategic.planning@nillumbik.vic.gov.au

or call Nillumbik Shire Council on 9433 3111

If you have any questions or enquiries on this matter, please contact Paul Fyffe – Senior Strategic Planner or Sean Diffy – Strategic Planner in Council’s Strategic Planning on 9433 3111 or strategic.planning@nillumbik.vic.gov.au