Old Quarry Site in Kees Road The former quarry in Kees Road is owned by Council and is included in the Public Park and Recreation zone within the Planning Scheme. The site is currently undeveloped and under utilised, however it is a site with interesting potential due to its topography as a former quarry and its proximity to one of the most important intersections in the township. Council will need to examine its future use and ‘development’ options. Council have no works planned at this time however future development open space contributions could be used to improve this site as the need arises. Open Space Linkages Establishment of an open space linkage along the watercourse leading from Serendip Sanctuary southward into the Hovells Creek open space spine will meet Council’s policy of developing linear linkage routes throughout Lara to link residential areas to major open spaces. The watercourse is within public ownership however, the width of the reserve is narrow and may not be capable of being developed with a pathway to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians. Some land acquisition and or access rights may need to be negotiated with the adjoining landowners to achieve this outcome. Larger road reserves could also provide important opportunities to develop off road shared pathways to link communities with activity centres, schools, recreation facilities etc. A path was constructed in 2007 along the Serendip Creek Reserve between Windermere Road and Pineview Court. A triangular piece of land adjacent to the creek needs to be acquired to improve access along the creek and allow the continuation of the shared pathway. Any future subdivision in the area should provide excellent permeability (shared pathways) linking residential areas to recreation nodes and linear linkages such as Serendip Creek Reserve. Lara Recreation Facilities Study (2007) The Lara Recreation Facilities Study (2007) provides an assessment of the existing facilities in Lara and the facilities required to meet the communities current and future active recreation needs. As part of the Study three concept plans have been developed:
Long-term development of the northern section of the Lara Recreation Reserve, Short-term development option for Lara Recreation Reserve (i.e. interim soccer arrangements), and High-level concept for the development of the Canterbury Road site for future soccer provision.
It recommends the following facilities be provided to cater for the current and projected population:
new soccer pitches – including two synthetic surfaces, 2 new substantial pavilion buildings, 1 new multi-purpose oval, New baseball training lights and batting cage, Training lights for two soccer pitches and multi-purpose oval, Sealed car parking for around 629 cars, and Ancillary facilities
The Study identified a significant demand for the development of dedicated soccer facilities. The preferred site for providing such a facility is a site off Canterbury Road East within the Heales Road industrial estate buffer zone. This option is considered to provide long-term capacity and flexibility to cater for the communities growing soccer needs. However, until such a time as this site can be acquired and developed, soccer will need to continue to be accommodated at the Lara Recreation Reserve as an interim measure. Therefore development of the proposed Canterbury Road East site is considered a high priority. It is Council’s preference for the facility to be developed at the northern end of the site, closer to the town centre and population catchment. Access to the site will be a key consideration.
Lara Structure Plan April 2011
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