Planning worry
Long-term Horsham engineer Leigh Davies has presented a list of questions to Horsham municipal councillors in an effort to gain clarity about a longterm City to River plan.
Mr Davies said based on what he considered ‘limited time to gain a full understanding of the plan’ he had major reservations and concerns about many of the proposals.
He said his concerns ranged from engineering issues, of which he had a lifetime of experience in, to how the council was gathering community opinion.
He said he would meet Horsham Rural City Council chief executive Sunil Bhalla today to discuss his position and to see whether there were ‘appropriate’ answers to his 37
questions. Mr Davies, despite being strongly outspoken about construction of a multi-use sports stadium in Horsham showground, said he had no affiliation with any group or movement.
He said he was simply a concerned ratepayer who might be able to offer something to a debate based on his experience.
He added that ratepayer and resident group meetings he had attended and more discussions in the general community had heightened his concerns.
Mr Davies has had major responsibilities to help overcome development issues in Horsham in the past, mainly involving the district’s volatile soils.
Projects have included Horsham Aquatic Centre, Kalkee Road Children’s Hub, the Anzac footbridge across the Wimmera River, Horsham Town Hall redevelopment and more.
“Of course my part has involved structural perspectives, but I want to suggest that during this long association with public projects I’ve also gained an understanding of where they fit and how they fulfil roles in communities,” he said.
“I don’t profess to be an expert on everything when it comes to social development projects, but I’d like to think I have some insight into what’s of value to the community.”
Mr Davies said speculation that he might be perceived as part of a ‘negative camp’ in the City to River planning debate was ‘completely’ wrong.
“I really like the riverfront concept and I have plenty of positive ideas which are not, but I believe could be, included in the plan,” he said.
Mr Davies said he remained adamantly against, based on experience, major sports-centre development at the showgrounds.
“When you start mucking around with soils and flood zones, especially in that area between the showgrounds and the gardens, which if you have a look is well documented, you will have problems,” he said.
“My big question to councillors remains – why not look at developing a new sports-centre precinct in the north-west of Horsham?
“It would be ideal because, from an engineering and planning perspective, you can start from scratch and considering we know a lot more than we ever knew before, we could create something quite special.”
“I fear we are looking at setting up facilities that would be well below par for what we would expect for a modern Horsham,” Mr Davies said.
“I also worry that if what is presented gets through then many of the questionable aspects of the plan, which many people would be unaware of, will be set in concrete, which would be a disaster.”
The Horsham council has continually stressed that the City to River plan, aimed to ultimately provide direction for development in the city, is purely speculative and open for constructive criticism.
A call for public comment on the plan, which encompasses a large area connecting Horsham central business district with a central river precinct, has been the subject of a significant promotional campaign. The council has invited public comment on the plan until August 30.
Mr Davies has a speculative list of questions to the Horsham community, asking people what they know and understand about the masterplan.
His questions cover issues such as remodelling of a Horsham city office block, parking, a new housing estate, shifting of Horsham sporting clubs, reshaping plans for Horsham City Oval, siting of a multi-purpose sports facility, Horsham Showground issues, north-west Horsham opportunities, Horsham soil details, school presentations, timing issues and costing and rates. Visit The Weekly Advertiser website, www.theweeklyadvertiser. com.au to see his questions.
• Ratepayers group questions process, page 12.