Blayney Orange CabonneRural and Employment Lands Strategy Review Briefing 29 July 2019

July 2019

Agenda

Strategy

• Review of the Subregional study and planning strategy for rural and industrial (employment generating) lands undertaken by GHD

• Capitalises on the interconnected nature of the three Councils

• Undertaken by Elton Consulting as a joint initiative by the Department of Planning & Environment with the three councils of Blayney, Cabonne and Orange

Background and Issues Paper

Rural Land

• Rural land use conflict and management of fragmented landscapes is key to ensuring that the long term sustainability of agriculture is supported

• Need to balance the competing interests of agriculture, tourism and lifestyle development, particularly around Mount Canobolas

• Consider agri-business and on farm diversification

• The Strategy should consideration mining in the context of both implications for rural land and economic development opportunities to support value adding

Industrial Land

• The need to diversify employment opportunities and infrastructure needs to support existing and new industries to maintain growth

• There is a need to better understand the existing supply and utilisation of industrial land across the subregion

• The strategy should address the relationship between land supply at a subregional verses LGA level

Subregional Snapshot

Rural Land Capability and Land Use

• Agricultural production 94% of land • 70% grazing 30% Cropping (inc. small area as a % for

horticulture – although have the greatest propensity for conflict)

• 10% of NSW fruit and veg

Land use

Observations from the Land Use Map:

• The predominant land use is grazing (modified pastures) • Dryland cropping is dominant in the western portion of the

region in both Cabonne and Blayney • Irrigated horticulture is heavily concentrated around Mount

Canobolas in both Orange and Cabonne, typically vineyards and orchards

• Urban and intensive uses are concentrated around the urban settlements

Land use

Mt Conobolas

• Pressure for growth of the urban area of Orange & resulting Land use conflict

• Fragmentation of land for rural lifestyle development, tourism associated uses & accommodation

Key issues:• Protecting ag land resource• The importance that the area has in terms of tourism as a

contributor to local economy, value add for farms• The need to limit urban creep and provide a hard edge to

the urban fringe west of Orange

Contested Land

Important Agricultural Land

• Mapping using biophysical, economic and social factors to identify industry

• Mapping collectively identifies all of the non-urban land as IAL

• Key take out in all categories is fragmentation should be minimised

Lot and Holding Size

• Highly fragmented, particularly closer to settlements• 30% lots less than 20ha• 4% lots greater than 100ha• 14% Holdings greater than 100ha

Industrial Land Supply

Blayney –Industrial Land

Orange North – StrathgroveWay, Industry Dr and Clergate industrial land

Orange Central –industrial land

Molong –Manildra Canowindra

No MLS

Industrial Land Demand • Over past 6 years 10.42 ha taken up @ 1.74 ha/pa• Majority in Orange 9.97ha• Currently lower than historical rates

Drivers for future demand • Decline in manufacturing, now construction related use

dominant• Possible flow on from Inland Rail and intermodal in Parkes• Strengths in existing industry: ag, mining, road freight, food

product manufacturing

Key Issues for Strategy

• The strategy needs to ensure there is sufficient industrial land supply that is appropriate for the proposed industrial activities to support the Regional Economic Development Strategy

• The strategy needs to consider how to best ensure that land optimal for mining and renewable energy is preserved

• Diversity in lot sizes needs to be provided in order to support a wider range of activities occurring within industrial land

Employment self-sufficiency and self-containment

• Workers remain in the region for work• 94% of workers employed in the region, live in the region• 91% of employed residents live and work in the region• High movement within the region, around 70% working

residents on Cabonne and Blayney travel to Orange to work• The findings indicate that a subregional approach to

industrial land may not be appropriate, particularly for Orange residents who predominantly remain within the LGA for work.

Projected Demand

• Two Methods: 1 historic demand and 2 workforce projections and floorspace

• Method 1: Additional 31 ha of Industrial land by 2036. Orange like to absorb 19 ha of this

• Method 2: Additional 105,979 sqm or 10.6 ha required

• Employment densities applied

Industrial Land Take-up – Orange

Planning Proposals

Clergate – loss of 35 ha Industrial Land does not materially impact the overall capacity of the subregion• Other issues: Impact on SA B industrial investigation area in the

2008 strategy• Whether other options are available• Need for diversity of industrial land • Protect the viability of existing industrial land already

compromised in some areas• Further investigation of land capability of existing zoned land • Self-containment and need to attract businesses to the subregion

Planning Proposals

Airport –Orange will need to identify opportunities for additional industrial land to future proof supply• Evidence based demand analysis does not support the need

for an additional 300ha of greenfield industrial land in the short to medium term,

• leveraging off the transport infrastructure of the airport is a strategy that is applied across all of the major inland centres in NSW eg. Armidale, Tamworth and Dubbo.

• Need to identify or provide for niche area of competitive advantage

• Consideration of Business Park zoning (which allows Light Industry)

Other Opportunities

• Mining and co-location eg. Regis • Digital economy and rise of work from home

Key Issues – Industrial Land

• Efficient use of existing land • Availability of industrial land in all three LGAs• Pressure on existing industrial land and land use conflict• Providing opportunities for the subregion to attract industry

from other major centres

Key Issues - Rural Land

• Promote and protect sustainable agriculture • Support rural economic development • Consistency in local planning, land use and zoning controls

for rural land • Need for a coordinated, collaborative approach to managing

land use around Mount Canobolas• Mining activity and post mining land use

Where to from here?

• August – Targeted engagement with Agencies and Key Stakeholders

• September – Draft Strategy for consideration by Councils for wider community consultation and exhibition

• October – Public exhibition and consultation including second round of stakeholder workshops and interactive engagement

• November – Submissions Report, consideration of any key changes to the Strategy

• December – Endorsement by Councils & DPE

Discussion

• Governance • How should variations be considered?• How should the Strategy be reviewed and how often?

Where a council seeks to vary the Strategy –within 5 years • Prepare an Overview and Strategic Merit Assessment Report for

consultation with the other two Councils and DPIE• Consultation with others - Referred to Councils & DPIE - 28

days to respond (time to be considered by full Council).• If agreement the amendment is added in Schedule to the

Strategy • If there is no consensus – Peer Review Report • Recommendation by the Peer Review Report to support the

variation or not. If not the strategy would need a comprehensive review Recommendation back to the submitting Council.

• Monitoring every 12 months? Two Years? 5 Yearly review

Workshop Questions

• Identify the key matters for consideration in the Rural Strategy

• TOP 5 • Identify the key matters for consideration in the Industrial

Strategy • TOP 5

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