Playing the long game sounds like a good plan

WE HEAR a lot about the beauty of being present, living in the moment, and not worrying about tomorrow. There is merit in this mindset, but as a councillor, I am trusted to think a little differently.

I take great pride in stepping up for the long game for our residents and shaping what our future looks like.

Making decisions about how we will live, move around, raise families and run businesses while preserving the character and environment of our city is perhaps the most important responsibility of my role.

Yes, I’m talking about planning, but would you still be reading if I had led with that? I know planning isn’t glamourous. There is no overnight result. It feels forever away and the ribbon-cutting comes years down the track.

Planning is the quiet achiever, the essential groundwork and legacy piece of which we’re all beneficiaries. Every new park, neighbourhood or transport link started with careful consideration long ago.

This brings me to two recent council decisions relating to Marshall and Highton Village that will bring gradual but significant change to our region.

In Marshall, 123 hectares of rural land will be transformed over coming decades to pave the way for 1,660 new homes and up to 5,000 new residents, right on the doorstep of Marshall Railway Station.

It will bring new roads, shared paths, parks and contributions to affordable housing. It will also protect remnant vegetation like the Bellarine yellow gums.

The Marshall Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) is the last residential PSP in the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Area to be adopted by Council. For me, the most exciting part is this growth is centred around the train station. This means fewer cars on the road, better access to jobs and services, and a neighbourhood that’s walkable and connected.

The best plans are made when council and the community work together. This way, growth is measured and sustainable and doesn’t come at the cost of losing the spaces and charm we treasure.

Highton Village is an example of this. Preserving the character of this precinct is at the heart of our revised amendment that limits building developments to two storeys, while allowing the shopping centre to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

As a Council, we heard your concerns loud and clear, and these were reflected in changes made to the planning scheme amendment for Highton Village, which we adopted in August.

As your Barrabool Hills Ward councillor, I thank you wholeheartedly for making your voices heard.

The passion of community members to protect their part of the world is a reminder of the thoughtful planning that got it right for us all those years ago. Now it’s our turn to do the same.

When Council makes planning decisions, we look beyond the maps, zones and numbers. We think about the people and places that make Greater Geelong so special and how to hold on to that for generations to come.

I hope that many years from now, as these plans come to life, we can then pause and appreciate the decisions that made it all possible.

We’re always seeking your input in making Geelong an even greater place to live, learn and play. To share your views on upcoming projects, head to our Have Your Say webpage at geelongaustralia.com.au/yoursay

Cr Ron Nelson

Barrabool Hills Ward,

City of Greater Geelong