In the Campaspe Shire Council’s residential land review draft document Brose Reserve, on Finlay Rd, was a major discussion topic in solving the lack of residential land — with a Township Zone attached — available in the town.
Council has made a commitment to involve the community in any asset disposal through its TFP process and, in Tongala, there is expected to be a dozen sites on the list for potential sale.
While there are no details available on what these sites are, Brose Reserve was identified in the shire’s heavily debated Asset Management Plan for “disposal’’.
Applications to Tongala’s TFP committee closed last week and the town will be the first to conduct the process, which involves the potential “disposal’’ of community buildings and land — and potential financial windfall for the communities.
The residential land document explained an irrigation channel that circles land to the north and east of Tongala, along with a large industrially zoned area, limited residential land supply in the town.
The draft document said the potential removal or piping of the channel could significantly open up residential development in Tongala.
A majority of residential development in the town has been on former rural land, but there is constant interest in vacant land.
Since 2008 there have been 50 dwelling approvals, most in the past five years, but restrictions because of channelling has frustrated residential development.
The document explained that Brose Reserve had been identified as surplus to the recreational needs of Tongala and with a planned 23-lot development on land opposite the reserve, it could (if rezoned) provide a similar amount of lots.
