Following additional targeted consultation with key community groups in Warburton, Yarra Ranges Council will consider adopting the Warburton Urban Design Framework (UDF) later this month.
The additional consultation was committed to by Council in November 2023, and has resulted in proposals to further amend elements of the UDF that align with the community feedback, most notably retaining the tennis courts in their current location and reducing the parking provisions at the Redwood Centre.
Yarra Ranges Mayor Sophie Todorov thanked the community for these constructive conversations and their considered feedback on the document draft.
“We have an incredibly passionate and engaged community in the Upper Yarra, and this really came through when engaging on the Warburton Urban Design Framework,” she said.
“The purpose of the UDF is to help us plan for the needs and future of Warburton over the next 10 to 20 years while protecting its valued character. We already know that visitation is increasing and will continue to do so. This is great for our local businesses, and can bring employment opportunities for locals, but we need to make sure we are ready and improve the way people move around town, from walking and cycling through to driving and parking.”
The report on the UDF – which will be published in the Council Agenda – follows Council’s 28 November meeting, where Councillors deferred the adoption of the UDF to March, with further targeted community engagement scheduled.
“It’s about delivering on the vision described in the Warburton Place Plan, in maintaining the rural town feeling of Warburton, while helping to solve the problems of more people visiting with more cars, so locals can live a little easier,” Cr Todorov said.
“Over the life of this document, we’ve received hundreds of comments and submissions, post-it notes and hard copy surveys; local newspaper articles, fantastic attendance at drop-in sessions, and one of our most extensive engagement periods on any Council document to date.”
Groups contacted as part of the targeted consultation include: ADRA, Warburton CEDA, Melbourne Water, Warburton Advancement League, Warburton Emergency Planning Group, Warburton Recreation Reserve committee, Warburton Tennis Club, Upper Yarra Sustainable Development Alliance, Upper Yarra River Reserve Committee of Management and the Yarra Riverkeeper Association.
“We’ve recently undertaken additional targeted engagement with specific groups, to help us make sure we truly heard the community and understand their needs and concerns so we can get the details right.
“For example, community feedback in this most recent round has resulted in proposed changes to the UDF which, subject to Council’s approval on 26 March, include retaining the tennis courts at their current location and reduced parking provisions at the Redwood Centre,”
“The end result is a document that has been subject to more than 335 written submissions, with more than 1800 comments assessed, which I think is fantastic. All of the concepts in the UDF will be subject to their own planning process and further community engagement, so locals can continue to help us shape the community outcomes.”
If Councillors adopt the Warburton UDF on 26 March, Council will then be able to seek external funding for the projects, undertake more detailed Master Plans of specific locations and develop detailed designs for specific projects. Each of these will include their own community engagement opportunities. The UDF will also provide the basis for a future Planning Scheme Amendment that proposes a Warburton-specific Design and Development Overlay (currently DDO12), to ensure the future built form of the town retains and enhances the character of the region.
For more information about the recent engagement, and to read more about the Warburton UDF visit the Shaping Yarra Ranges page at: shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/warburton-urban-design-framework.
