Nillumbik Shire Council is developing a new Neighbourhood Character Strategy (NCS) for its residential areas and has commenced a comprehensive consultation process to obtain community input.
The NCS will replace the existing Neighbourhood Character Study and Precinct Guidelines from 2001 (amended in 2003) and strengthen Council’s ability to protect the character of Nillumbik’s residential areas.
Mayor Frances Eyre said it was critical to obtain community input from across the Shire to ensure the NCS is comprehensive and representative of the community’s voices.
“Nillumbik’s residential areas are distinctive to our Shire, and contribute greatly to the aesthetics and liveability of the places we choose to call home,” Cr Eyre said.
“The Neighbourhood Character Strategy will provide a framework to guide development in residential zones and help ensure the characteristics so highly valued by our community are protected in policy into the future.
“I invite everyone in Nillumbik to share their thoughts on what is important to them about neighbourhood character in the Shire and help us develop this key long-term strategy,” she said.
Neighbourhood character comprises a number of elements, including:
- Built form (how buildings/homes look);
- Setbacks (how far buildings are set back from the street);
- Heights of buildings and homes;
- Vegetation (gardens, trees, plants, bush, etc.);
- Street layout (configuration, subdivision pattern);
- Topography (mountains, hills, creeks, gullies, etc.)
- Streetscape (how the street/road looks); and
- Views
The NCS will be informed by community input about desired neighbourhood character aspirations and values to guide the design and placement of new development in Nillumbik’s residential areas; ensuring it respects and responds to the valued features and character of an area.
Engagement will be conducted across a series of phases, with this first round of engagement closing at 11.59pm on Sunday 8 May 2022.
Further engagement is programmed for late 2022, when we will share a first draft of the strategy with the community for feedback.
Anyone wishing to provide input can complete a survey, make a submission, or attend one of our pop-up engagement sessions for an in-person chat.
