Lucas

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

Rural Urban fringe in Western Ballarat
6km West of Ballarat’s CBD
West of Alfredton
Located on the Avenue of Honour
125km NW of Melbourne

Question 2

Research Question

Answer 2

What factors have contributed to the changing land use at Lucas in Ballarat and how has this change positively and negatively impacted the environment as well as the economic and social conditions of the selected area and the surrounding region?

Question 3

Human Characteristics

Answer 3

• Residential, retail, commercial, education, recreation (mixed land use) development/construction areas

Question 4

Natural Characteristics

Answer 4

• Relatively flat topography (falling North to South 23 meters and 10 meters East to West). Natural water corridor running from North to South. Ornamental lakes and streams, native vegetation has been planted. 12% open space.
• Cultivated and managed land being converted into artificial surfaces.

Question 5

Reasons for Land use Change

Answer 5

• And there were limited natural or human made features, at the time there was only one house in the most easterly corner.
• There were only two owners pre-development who mostly used the land for farming
• Need to provide more housing for Ballarat’s growing population
• Growth rate = 1.83%
• Caused by internal migration 2/3 of growth in pop is due to ppl moving from other lial gov areas / 20% of Ballarat’s pop growth moving from overseas

Question 6

Influence of individuals, organizations and planning strategies

Answer 6

• City of Ballarat (town planning)
• Integra development company
• Planning strategies – Alfredton West Precinct Plan – detailed document developed by the City of Ballarat Council to guide the planning and development of the growth zone.

Question 7

Local Impacts - Economic

Answer 7

+ Inject wealth into the local economy
+ Development will create jobs in the construction industry
+ Affordable housing
+ Income from retail within Lucas (Woolworths etc.)
- Prices at shops expensive.
- Rent prices for retail shops in expensive, leading to closures of some businesses (e.g.Wilsons)

Question 8

Local Impacts - Sociocultural

Answer 8

+ convenience of the central shopping precinct
+ Medical facility & swimming centre currently under construction.
+ Two centrally located schools which foster a sense of community (the majority of students are from Lucas).
+ Central park and smaller parks within 500m of every home, community gathering point and place to exercise and enhance wellbeing.
+ Bike paths, footpaths and walking tracks connecting the suburb
+ Community centre promoting public events (such as students painting poppies for an ANZAC commemoration project at the Lucas Town Centre)
- Traffic and congestion are a major issues. Traffic travelling into the CDB during peak times leads to significant congestion and turns a 10 minute drive into a 20+ minute drive. Congestion within the suburb during peak times, at the Coltman Plaza shopping centre it can be difficult to find a park after work and at school pick up the relatively narrow street next to the Primary School doesn’t cope with the extra traffic.
- Public transport isn’t efficient and it takes a significant amount of time to travel to the CBD via a relatively indirect route (possible to take up to an hour). Services aren’t very frequent.
- Residents experience dust from the construction and wind is an issue due to the exposure to the west.

Question 9

Local Impacts - Environmental

Answer 9

+ 7 parks, 12% open space
+ Natural water course
+ Diverse natural vegetation
+ Energy efficient housing
- Pollution (noise, traffic, dust, rubbish)
- Windy, exposed location

Question 10

Regional Impacts - Economic

Answer 10

+ Inject wealth into Victoria’s economy $1billion over 14 years.
+ Employment
+ Retail
+ BWEZ will create up to 9000 jobs
- Impact house prices in surrounding region/suburbs

Question 11

Regional Impacts - Sociocultural

Answer 11

+ Recreation facilities (oval, walking/bike paths)
+ Medical and health facilities
- Viewed as an unattractive and unappealing development.

Question 12

Regional Impacts - Environmental

Answer 12

+ Management of water runoff.
+ Extensive tree planting and vegetation of natural waterways.
- Pollution in surrounding suburbs. More concrete surfaces, less run off, infiltration, more emissions.