Shaping the Future: Sustainable Master Plans for Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga
In collaboration with Cobalt Engagement, McGregor Coxall’s comprehensive and visionary master plans aim to guide the sustainable growth and development of Bellingen, Dorrigo, and Urunga CBDs over the next 20 years.
With a distinct identity and environmental context, from plateaus and valleys to seaboard environments, Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga towns are experiencing significant climatic, economic, and social changes. To address an anticipated increase in tourism, McGregor Coxall was engaged to create three Central Business District (CBD) master plans for Bellingen Shire Council, aimed at enhancing each town’s environmental, economic, and social resilience.
Mayor Cr. Steve Allan says, “we are thrilled to have draft versions of the Central Business District Master Plans for Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga and we are now inviting our community to have their say on these documents.
“This feedback will help inform the final version of the master plans, which were developed on the back of a comprehensive community engagement program earlier in the year.
“The finalised documents will seek to inform future investment in our communities associated with the Central Business District Master Plans for Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga and allow staff to target grant opportunities to support the same.”
Informed by a community-driven understanding of each town’s unique strengths, including First Nation knowledge, natural landscapes, country character, strong sense of community, and strategic location, the plans offer a balanced and holistic roadmap for the future.
The master plans focus on seamlessly integrating new initiatives within the existing community fabric while maintaining and enhancing each town’s distinct aesthetic and cultural identity. Environmental stewardship was a core principle, with strategies incorporating water-sensitive urban design to mitigate urban heat, improve water quality, and promote sustainable development.
The plans also outlined strategies for managing growth and infrastructure pressures, improving traffic flow, enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety, and ensuring infrastructure could support anticipated growth through planned upgrades.
An upfront and extensive community engagement process allowed the master plans to build on the existing strengths and needs of the community, while uncovering potential to shape a cohesive vision. By integrating community voices with technical analysis, the plans reflect the desires and identity of each distinct community.
The master plans provide clear actions to ensure future resilience, including, key focus areas to catalyse change and strategy guidance to shape future planning directions.
The Draft Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga CBD Master Plans have gone out for public exhibition, and Bellingen Shire Council invites community feedback on the strategy aiming to shape the future of Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga.
