Master plans are long term planning documents that outline a vision to the next 20-30 years for a nominated area or locality typically a town centre or precinct. It is a process that defines what is important about a place and how its character and quality can be conserved, improved and enhanced whilst providing for the facilities and services needed by the community and visitors to the area.

A master plan involves community, stakeholders and council to develop a blueprint that meets broader community needs, and identifies future council operational and budget considerations. Master plans engage specialists and consultants to advise on various matters such as traffic, urban design, social planning etc., depending on the scope & vision of the plan.

Dubbo Regional Council engaged Delos Delta to work with the community, key stakeholders and Council to develop the Montefiore's Structure and Master Plan.

In the development of a master plan, council will involve community to make sure concerns and aspirations are considered and understood. Following this, a draft vision, outcomes and strategies will be presented to community for feedback through a public exhibition period.

All feedback from the public exhibition period is reviewed and included in the report to Council. Council will determine whether to adopt the master plan.

The Australian Government's Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund was established in 2022. It is a $12 million competitive grants program that helps regional councils plan for new housing, including housing that is affordable, diverse and resilient to natural hazards. It does so by providing funding to enable and accelerate the delivery of strategic planning projects, technical studies and policies for housing. Learn more here.

Engaging our community to better understand needs is an essential part of developing the Montefiores Structure Plan and Master Plan. Your feedback will help us understand if we have accurately captured your vision for future development of Montefiores.

Once the plan is adopted for implementation, Council seeks opportunities to fund and resource the identified outcomes. It may require Council to acquire land, scope capital work or infrastructure projects or identify opportunities within business and industry to leverage the master plan.

Community engagement is ongoing however the level of participation and influence between Council and community may change due to the scale and impact the implementation has.