There are many urban areas which comprise the MidCoast which accommodate the vast majority of our residents. Each has their own unique characteristics, though there is an almost universally consistent theme from these communities. They desire the retention of and a balance between access to great natural assets, or feeling of space and access to services whilst avoiding the pitfalls of "big city" living. The Hunter Regional Plan identifies Taree and Forster / Tuncurry as the strategic centres in the MidCoast area. It also identifies a series of local centres of significance, whilst others are known to be key housing localities. Many of these urban areas are highlighted in Figure 7, whilst many more villages and other housing types exist at a smaller scale throughout the area. An urban footprint was also mapped for each location to show the extent of the town or village (these are similar to the Growth Area Boundary used in the Mid North Coast Regional Strategy 2006-2031). This boundary includes residential (existing and potential), employment, open space and environmental lands that are located within a town or village, but excludes Large Lot Residential zoned land. Inclusion within the urban footprint indicates the sites may be suitable for urban uses, however where land is to be rezoned, the constraints of the land are
Figure 7: Urban areas of the MidCoast
still to be considered. An overview of the main urban localities and discussion on the future direction of our towns and villages is presented in this section. Each locality discussion is based on community workshops outcomes, additional research and site visits.
MidCoast HOUSING STRATEGY
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