Medowie Planning Strategy

The Medowie Planning Strategy provides local direction for land use planning and sustainable growth over the next 20 years. It follows the identification of Medowie as a growth area in the Port Stephens Planning Strategy and the Hunter Regional Plan.

The Medowie Planning Strategy was adopted by Council on the 13 December 2016. The Strategy is guided by five key principles as well as a number of actions that will be implemented as part of the Implementation Plan to achieve the vision for Medowie.

The vision for Medowie is;

a place of tall trees besides the waters of Grahamstown Dam with a rural residential character, with a plan to accommodate and coordinate future growth with quality community and recreation facilities, good transport infrastructure, and involves the community in its implementation.

Principle 1

Development is supported by infrastructure

  • Residential release areas are targeted on the expansion of existing areas and main transport routes (Medowie Road and Ferodale Road) with good access to community facilities.
  • Main aspects of infrastructure for accommodating future urban growth include: traffic and transport infrastructure (including for pedestrians and cyclists); flooding and drainage management measures; community and recreation facilities; provision of reticulated sewer and water; and access to the town centre.

  • Establish an implementation panel to facilitate delivery of infrastructure and development envisioned by the Strategy
  • Update Local Area Contributions Plan (Section 94 Plan) to include drainage works to ensure arrangements are in place to collect equitable contributions from new development towards drainage infrastructure
  • Align Council infrastructure plans with the Strategy to facilitate delivery of public infrastructure identified in the Strategy
  • Commence implementation of Ferodale Park Sports Complex Master Plan to enable greater public use and enjoyment of the site through the provision of new infrastructure and facilities, expand opportunities for sporting use as well as organised events and gatherings
  • Investigate location and design of a new library facility to provide a local library facility to meet population growth
  • Undertake a sports field usage review to monitor population growth in Medowie against the standard for the provision of sporting fields
  • Undertake street tree planting strategy to improve the scenic amenity of main roads and entrances to Medowie
  • Update existing Traffic and Transport Strategy to ensure the Traffic and Transport Study reflects the growth identified in the Strategy
  • Update existing Local Area Contributions Plan (Section 94 Plan) for potential revised infrastructure to ensure arrangements are in place to collect equitable contributions from new development towards traffic and transport infrastructure
  • Investigation of strategic feasibility of upgrading Medowie Road to 4-lanes to strategically review and determine the potential and need for any future upgrade of Medowie Road to four lanes

Principle 2

The town centre is the focus for commercial and community activity

  • New commercial development will be focused within the existing town centre and guided by the town centre master plan. The objective is to consolidate the town centre as the 'heart' for the social and economic life of the community. Infrastructure works include: roads (in a grid layout); a town square; new public toilets; and shared paths.
  • Site-specific additional permitted uses in locations outside of the town centre will continue to cater for existing uses and attractions. These include: Pioneer Ridge Boutique Winery; Medowie Macadamias; Medowie Indoor Sports Centre; and the existing service centres on Medowie Road and Ferodale Road.

  • Prepare a DCP to implement road layout and design elements of the town centre master plan to coordinate and facilitate development applications within the town centre in accordance with the town centre master plan
  • Undertake detailed planning for the town square and new public amenities to provide a high quality public open space and new public amenities in the town centre commercial area

Principle 3

Rural residential character is balanced with urban development

  • A semi-rural outlook is part of the character of Medowie to be retained and balanced with the need for new land for housing to accommodate growth. There are opportunities for further rural residential development, particularly in the vicinity of Brocklesby Road, Abundance Road/Fairlands Road and Grahamstown Road.
  • Land ownership in some parts of Medowie is very fragmented and/or comprising significant vegetation, presenting a main challenge to delivering urban growth.

  • Investigate long-term land use planning issues for rural industries along Richardson Road to set future direction for land use in this particular location
  • Monitor dwelling production and take-up rates to measure demand for residential development in Medowie to inform future planning

Principle 4

Development has a neutral or beneficial effect on water quality and no increase in flooding impacts

  • Grahamstown Dam is a major source of drinking water for the region and supplies around 50% of its needs on an ongoing basis: maintaining or improving drinking water quality is of very high importance. Future development within the Grahamstown Dam Drinking Water Catchment will need to demonstrate neutral or beneficial effect on water quality and will be connected to the reticulated sewer and water system.
  • Council and the Hunter Water Corporation will work collaboratively to identify a catchment-wide solution to drainage and water quality through completion of a drainage strategy, including investigation of a town lake within the vicinity of the town centre. Large areas of Medowie are prone to flooding and the catchment is sensitive to new development. Flood prone land is generally to be avoided for future urban development. It is also not sterilised from appropriate uses subject to assessment (e.g. consideration of flood fringe areas).

  • Undertake drainage strategy in liaison with HWC to identify drainage solutions to support urban development including detention basin location requirements, easements and the town lake
  • Finalise the Flood Study to determine the nature and extent of the flood problem
  • Evaluate management options from the Floodplain Risk Management Study
  • Adopt and implement risk management measures from the Floodplain Risk Management Plan

Principle 5

Habitat and key corridors are improved or maintained

  • The principle of 'avoid, mitigate, offset' should be applied with respect to potential impacts of development on native vegetation. The local koala population is under threat and the preservation of its habitat is important. Key corridors are to be maintained and future development must address the provisions of the Port Stephens Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management

  • Finalise LGA-wide koala study and investigate potential land use planning issues related to areas of koala generational persistence (core koala habitat) within Medowie to better understand the distribution, abundance of koalas and their habitat across the PS LGA over time and to assist preparation and assessment of planning proposals