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Community engagement

1.6 Community engagement

We engaged with residents, businesses, students, workers, landowners and members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to inform the Master Plan. Through these conversations we collected important insights into what the community want to see in Campsie.

Who we engaged

In the development of the master plan, Council has engaged with 2,092 members of the community.

How we engaged

Stage 1 – What we’ve already been told

As a first step, this master plan considered what the community has already told Council on previous projects in relation to Bankstown City Centre. Some of the key messages coming from previous engagement include:

· Create a clean, attractive centre. · Attract more and diverse retail and dining options that are open later. · Preserve the unique character of the wider centre. · Create connections to the Cooks River. · Line streets with trees to create a cool, shady centre. · Create high quality, welcoming open space. · Improve pedestrian safety in the centre.

Stage 2 - Early Engagement

In Stage 2 we connected with the community and landowners to learn more about what the community likes about Campsie and where improvements are needed. In this stage we engaged the community with:

· An online community survey. · An interactive online map. · Call an expert service. · Landowner engagement. · Have Your Say page.

Stage 3 – Targeted Engagement

In stage 3 we tested key ideas with a community and industry groups to collect feedback to help us refine the Master Plan. In this stage we engaged the community with:

· Student and worker focus groups. · Industry engagement. · Landowner engagement. · Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group engagement. · Direct stakeholder engagement with government agencies.

Stage 4 – Public Exhibition

The draft Master Plans were exhibited for a period of seven weeks (March to May 2021) in order to understand the community’s view of the proposed changes. The community’s input has informed a number of Master Plan changes, summarised in a separate Submission Report (August 2021).

Further, formal public engagement will occur as part of a future Planning Proposal for the Campsie Town Centre in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the supporting Regulations and Council’s Community Participation Plan.

“Wider footpaths, and more trees would make me visit Campsie more.”

Lee

What do you want for Campsie?

“High quality public squares that encourage community activity and provides a central meeting point is needed.”

Ara

“I can picture Campsie as a rival to Chatswood as a great place to live and work and as a popular shopping and dining destination for people in the surrounding areas.”

Joriz

“I would like to see a blend of a commercial space that is open past 6pm together with well-lit communal areas that are safe and clean.”

Lucas

“Campsie might become more gentrified, but I hope it doesn’t lose the great food and fresh grocers”

Sai

“It’s bustling, busy, interesting… there are few high streets in Sydney that share a similar vibe.”

Clara

“Campsie has a good mix of nature with Anzac Park and busy streets with Beamish St. I enjoy watching the area evolve over time.”

Wang

“My favourite places are the diverse cuisines and restaurants on offer along Beamish Street.”

Zara

4,426 people have engaged with Council through the development of the Master Plan between August 2020 and June 2021.

“It would be great to have outdoor seating on the streets and in the plaza that could be public or shared by many restaurants” What we heard

Apartment living needs to be family friendly

Buildings should be energy efficient to reduce environmental impact and living costs

People want to be less car dependent

Having parks, tree cover, and access to the river close to home will make Campsie a better place to live

The centre should be a vibrant place both day and night

Preserve the areas of Campsie with special character What we’re doing Master Plan Directions

Encouraging a variety of homes in the town centre that are well built and create a great quality of life for everyone.

Requiring all new buildings to meet high sustainability targets.

Requiring a higher standard of design, particularly for high density development.

Making the city centre easier to get around on foot or by bike, and making the most of the new Sydney Metro coming to Campsie.

Improving the experience for pedestrians using the City Centre.

Creating new parks as the city grows.

Creating new parks and upgrading existing parks to meet the diverse needs of the resident, worker and student communities.

Welcoming activity after dark through the creation of a night-time precinct for evening activation.

Creating areas where our special character is protected and celebrated.

2Vision & Plan

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