Case Study Reflection One: Queanbeyan

On the 25th March myself, Alex Adkins and Michael Ellis has the opportunity to showcase our presentation pertaining to the city of Queanbeyan after weeks of research and field trips to the town. It was rather a very intriguing presentation as it brings to life many aspects of local planning in the context of decision making and planing implementations. Queanbeyan  is a regional centre located in the Southern Tablelands of NSW (Eastern border of the ACT). We had the opportunity of meeting the head strategic planner of Queanbeyan City Council and be able to understand how they get around with planning-related issues and solutions. The council works around the LEP (Local Environmental Plan Act) which was put together by the NSW state government in order to serve as a guide for planning decisions whilst allowing councils and other consent authorities to manage the ways in which land is used. The first topic which we covered in the presentation was the the 'New developments' taking place in Queanbeyan. Googong and Tralee are the future suburbs which will further accommodate the continued population growth in the area. Height restrictions in these new suburbs are restricted to allow public town centres to come in view whilst all housing blocks are kept at a strict height maximum. The second topic which we covered was 'Road Infrastructure'.  It doesn't come to a surprise that Queanbeyan is more car-orientated due to the high prices of transport (which is primarily private).This is also due to the low level of employment in the district since Canberra's town centres are only a few minutes drive from the Queanbeyan City centre. The demand, therefore, for larger corridors are definite for commuting. We also touched on infill developments which was quite interesting due to the fact that the council set out lands for high and medium density housing. Infill is imperative in order to keep the Queanbeyan population close to facilities and services. One issue that has struck me about Queanbeyan was its transport infrastructure. There is no emphasis on cycle paths, bus system and feasibility. Perhaps they should invest in transport to allow easier access for Canberrans which is beneficial for local economic growth. Heritage seems to be a prized asset of Queanbeyan whilst on my visit there. The Furlong apartments offer a clear example of preservation of historical structures.
My final analysis of Queanbeyan is that it possess high potentiality and that so much can be done to ensure it remains sustainable. Public transport should be considered as high priority for the council. I really wanted to go to Queanbeyan on my own for my case study, but the difficulty of getting there without a car already had me asking questions. Whistle maintaining its historical identity the council should also enhance its appeal by pushing for more consumer activity and entertainment. The next ten years are crucial for Queanbeyan if it wants to push for equal recognition with Canberra.

References:

Queanbeyan City Council. 2012. Strategic Land Use and Economic Development Overview. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.qcc.nsw.gov.au/Building-and-Planning/Strategic-Land-Use-Planning. Accessed 15 April 14