Based on its understanding of the resolution adopting a new Commercial Land Strategy at council’s ordinary meeting on April 29th, the association believes that Bega’s role as the designated “Regional Centre” of the Shire has been significantly downgraded.
In the
Centres Hierarchy incorporated in
the draft strategy proposed for adoption at the meeting, Bega is designated as the Shire’s “
Regional Centre”, while the commercial area of Merimbula/Tura Beach was designated as a “
Major Centre”, with Bermagui, Cobargo, Eden, Tathra & Pambula designated as “
Local Centres”.
The hierarchy made it clear that the only major distinction between a Regional Centre & a Major Centre was that the Regional Centre would enjoy primacy over major centres when it comes to the provision of government administrative services & commercial development decisions where in particular in respect of higher order goods & services, including health care services, education facilities, professional services, bulky goods premises, transport logistics & government offices.
In the debate leading-up to the resolution, Cr Fitzpatrick made it clear that he would not support the proposed new Commercial Land Strategy if the primacy accorded to Bega was to be maintained.
A deal of confusion arose during the debate, partly because councillors had not met before the meeting to consider the draft & partly because of differences in the page references being used by councillors during the discussion.
The end result of that confusion was that the distinction which had afforded Bega primacy as the “Regional Centre” was removed from the adopted Strategy, effectively placing Bega & the commercial area of Merimbula/Tura Beach on the same footing as Major Centres, at least as far as planning decisions for commercial development are concerned.
This change was affected by council resolving to remove the following paragraph from the descriptor of Bega as the Regional Centre:
“The primacy of the regional centre should be continually guarded and reinforced by consideration of the impact of the commercial development in other centres. Offerings of higher order goods and services, institutions, government offices and the like should be located in the regional centre.”
How ironic that council & the NSW Department of Planning felt compelled to pursue a tortuous strategy for years to avoid meeting the requirements of the then Commercial Centres Strategy, in order to secure the rezoning of land in Tura Beach for the proposed Bunnings development, when, with the benefit of hindsight, all they had to do was wait for council to eliminate Bega’s primacy with the simple stroke of a pen.
This despite the fact that the strategy was developed in consultation with key stakeholders & the community.
While former Mayor McBain plots her departure from city hall, it will be interesting to see if this “re-definition” of what constitutes Bega as the Regional Centre, that she facilitated, will cause any heartburn further up the planning food chain.
What will doubtless prove to be of much greater importance will be if the change to Bega’s status as the Regional Centre will open the way to Merimbula/Tura Beach ultimately becoming the pre-eminent commercial district of the shire.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begvalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au