Batemans Bay is the principal commercial centre in the Eurobodalla Shire and is a key destination for residents and visitors to the area. It is therefore critical that the town functions well, is open for business and is an attractive place to visit.
Eurobodalla Council is seeking the communities ideas for the future of Batemans Bay. Council will have a pop-up shop in the Village Centre next door to Georgie's Fine Jewellery and across from Michelle's Patisserie. to listen to your questions and ideas for the future of Batemans Bay. Drop in at any of the following days and times: Wednesday 29 March from 9am - 12noon Thursday 30 March from 4pm - 7pm Friday 31 March from 11am - 2pm Saturday 1 April from 9am - 12noon If you cannot make it along, but would still like to contribute, you can send your vision ideas to Council by mail or email by 14 April 2017 to: The General Manager PO Box 99 Moruya NSW 2537 or email council@esc.nsw.gov.au The Community are invited to look at the ideas that Monash University Design Studio course students, led by Senior Lecturer Markus Jung drafted after their visit to Batemans Bay in 2016 given the task was to come up with some innovative and inspiring designs for the public spaces in the town. The students kindly offered to provide their work to Council to display at the community engagement activities in the hope that their designs inspire and generate a range of ideas for how Batemans Bay can be improved into the future. Batemans Bay Streetscape Public Art Stage 2 of the streetscaping works in Orient Street have commenced. These works include decorative totems with words engraved in panels on the ground. The community is invited to help decide what should be written on the panel. They will be similar to those already in Clyde Street - you might like to add your ideas in the comments below as well Review of Building Heights in Batemans Bay Town Centre In 2015, Council engaged urban designers and architects, XPACE to review the current building height controls in Batemans Bay and to make recommendations for any changes to the controls that may stimulate new development. The consultants undertook a conceptual analysis of Batemans Bay and an opportunities and constraints assessment. From this work, recommended changes to the height controls were made and evaluated through a range of tests, including the development of a 'massing model' of the town, streetscape drawings and test site feasibilities. Council has not yet resolved a position on this report and is keen to hear the communities views before developing any proposals to amend the building height controls. You can View the XPACE report here: Review of Building Height Report Part 1 (2.58 MB) Review of Building Height Report Part 2 (3.20 MB) Review of Building Height Report Appendices (5.18 MB) Council has also commissioned a report from economic consultants Strategic Economic Solutions to assess the potential economic impact of any increase in building heights in the Batemans Bay town centre. The report found that increased building heights would provide an important incentive to develop to a high standards, bring new resident and visitor markets to the town and help revitalise and activate Batemans Bay. View the report (PDF, 590kb) Batemans Bay Bowling Club and Mackay Park Precinct Council has commenced planning for the Mackay Park precinct. Council has identified the preferred development outcomes for the site as: - new aquatic and recreation centre - arts and cultural facility - conference and event space - tourist accommodation - residential accommodation - restaurant and cafes - gateway visitor centre, - and the integration of existing sporting fields into the future development of the precinct. Council is working with a Sunset Committee on this project and will be updating the community on the progress of planning for this important precinct soon. Your ideas and visions for Batemans Bay will feed into this project where relevant. Click here for more information. Economic Growth and Development Strategy As part of Council’s Fit for the Future Improvement program, Council is developing an Economic Growth and Development Strategy for Eurobodalla. The Strategy will include a comprehensive action plan outlining various strategies and actions that all stakeholders, including Council, Government, Business Chambers, local businesses and community members can take to help grow the Eurobodalla economy. Council will soon be undertaking community engagement on a draft Strategy. Background On Thursday 1st December 2016, as part of a broader process of stakeholder and community engagement on a Batemans Bay Vision and Growth project, Eurobodalla Shire Council hosted a workshop with local business owners, land owners and community members to commence the development of a shared vision for the area and identify the ways in which this vision can be realised. A booklet was prepared and provided to the participants prior to the workshop to set the scene for the project. You can view the workshop booklet at this link You can download the full workshop report and appendices at the bottom of this web page
Above: Batemans Bay in the 1950's
