Thursday 9 February 2012

A draft plan to guide the future use of the rural lands to the south of Tamworth is on public exhibition.

The Draft South Tamworth Rural Lands Master Plan aims to ensure that future development within the area is undertaken in a sustainable manner, including the provision of an appropriate level of infrastructure and servicing.

Tamworth Regional Council Strategic Planning Manager, Genevieve Harrison, said the South Tamworth area was first identified in 2008 as having potential for the development of equine-related industry.

'The Tamworth Regional Development Strategy 2008 identified the South Tamworth Rural Lands area as potentially being suited to equine-related development,’ she said. 'This was due to the construction of the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) and the potential growth of this industry sector.’

In addition to identifying land for future equine-related development in the vicinity of AELEC, Ms Harrison said the South Tamworth Rural Lands Master Plan has highlighted various potential locations which might be suited to large lot residential development, tourist activities and commercial development such as bulky goods premises.

'The area currently has a mixture of these land uses and the Draft Master Plan aims to provide a framework to guide the location of any new land uses within this area and to minimise land use conflict between new and existing land uses ,’ she said.

The Draft Plan also outlines a staging plan for all new development to ensure the appropriate timing for release of land into the future.

Community members are encouraged to view the Draft Master Plan which will be on public exhibition until Wednesday 29 February 2012 at the Tamworth Regional Council Customer Services Centre, Ray Walsh House, 437 Peel Street, Tamworth. Copies of the Draft Master Plan and a community feedback form have also been made available on Council’s website (www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au).

Written comment and/or completed feedback forms should be forwarded to Council by 3pm on Wednesday 29 February. Completed feedback forms and comments can be sent by email (trc@tamworth.nsw.gov.au) or posted to: 

The General Manager

Tamworth Regional Council

PO Box 555

Tamworth NSW 2340. 

Feedback forms may also be deposited in boxes at either Ray Walsh House or the Kingswood General Store.