A long-term vision for Newcastle shaped by 5,440 community members has been endorsed by the City of Newcastle with plans to achieve a liveable, sustainable and inclusive global city by 2040.
A record number of people contributed their thoughts as part of extensive community consultation undertaken over 12 months for Newcastle’s new Community Strategic Plan, Newcastle 2040.
Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, said Newcastle 2040 reflected the community’s values and visions for Newcastle and would guide planning, projects and policies in future years.
“Newcastle 2040 has been developed with the input of more residents than ever before with an engagement program, which met people where they were through outreach at events, schools and community facilities in addition to surveys,” Cr Nelmes said.
Community collaboration included thousands of interactions such as face-to-face conversations, workshops, surveys, online feedback, advisory committees and stakeholder engagement.
Priorities and objectives set out in Newcastle 2040 focus on four key themes: Liveable Newcastle, Sustainable Newcastle, Creative Newcastle, and Achieving Together.
The shared vision for Newcastle 2040 includes commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture, the planet, inclusion, supporting local, innovation and social justice principles.
Additionally, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a macro blueprint for peace and prosperity, will also be championed by the City of Newcastle at the local level.
Cr Nelmes said it was important to exhibit a true representation of Newcastle and had been committed to speaking to a diverse range of people regarding their ideas and priorities for the city.
“Although Newcastle is already incredible, we must continue to plan and implement actions to ensure we maintain the city’s liveability while managing population growth, providing opportunities for economic development and diversification.”
Local Councils are required to prepare a Community Strategic Plan every four years, and they must be adopted by June 30 of the year following a local government election.
To view Newcastle 2040, visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au
Hayley McMahon