What is happening with planning in Ross?

The old Ross oval and School, with a sign directing visitors to the 42nd Parallel Interpretation Panels.

Northern Midlands Councillors need to get down to the grass roots of planning in Ross, which has significant heritage values and tourism qualities that are vital to Tasmania’s visitor industry.

Councillor Michael Polley’s views on the sale of the old Ross School were published in The Country Courier in the December issue ~ “one of the reasons the council could go ahead with the revitalisation of Ross amenities was because of money from the sale of the old Ross School which was made available to be spent on village developments.” [1]

There is something quite bizarre in this statement.

The old Ross School grounds, which included the oval and many old trees, was a perfect setting for a town park in Ross.

The old school buildings would have been used for community activities, art classes, history meetings, youth activities and so much more.

There is a tennis court, so there could have been a tennis club, for resident fitness and visitor enjoyment.

The amazing community benefit with the old Ross School, a gift from the Tasmanian Government to the people of Ross, was subdivided and sold a couple of years ago, leaving the lonely oval, where people stand and wonder about the old Ross School.

Who came up with the idea to buy more land in Ross for an expensive new shiny town park, remains a mystery.

Extensive consultation about the new town park next to the pub in Church Street was held, but at no point was the sale of the old School oval raised.

The oval is just too vital to the community for recreation, to the heritage values of Ross next to the Town Hall and by the very popular 42nd Parallel attraction, and is an intrinsic part of the visitor experience in Ross.

Yet just before Christmas we could read in the minutes of the Ross Local District Committee ~ “Council have requested feedback on a proposal to subdivide and sell the Ross Oval now the Ross Town Square has been purchased.” [2]

The Ross Local District Committee is a Special Committee of the Northern Midlands Council, established under provisions of the Local Government Act 1993.

The Committee rejected the proposal from the Council, but we now know that the idea of selling the old School oval is burning away in Council minds, and like the Old Ross School once was, the oval is now at risk.

When the Council obtained permission to sell the Old Ross School, the oval had not been subdivided off, so we can wonder if the Northern Midlands Council already has permission to sell the oval.

If that permission was in the minds of the Council, the prospect of selling the oval may have been in mind when purchasing more land nearby.

Rather than taking a gift to the people of Ross and flogging it off, a more basic approach is needed.

In 2012 Development Plans were made for five towns in the Northern Midlands, but not for Ross. [3]

Development plans provide a planning vision for a town.

If a Development Plan had been made for Ross in 2012, along with community consultation, the benefit of the Old Ross School and oval for the community and for visitors to Ross may have become clear, and the old Ross School may never have been sold.

The priority for Northern Midlands Councillors, should be to invest in a Development Plan for Ross.

We can now but wonder if securing the sale of the Old Ross School was more vital to the Northern Midlands Council, than investing in a Development Plan for Ross, which would have shown the real value of the Old Ross school and oval to the community.

Now on a roll with a big new expensive shiny with a new town park in Ross, it may be a tough call to get Councillors to invest in the missing Development Plan for Ross, to reveal how best to care for the community, the heritage, the visitor experience and the economy.

Council thinking about Ross is somewhat summed up in the Interim Planning Scheme 2013, where we can read ~ “Ross will continue to be supported as a heritage based tourist centre, retirement community and local service centre to stabilise its population and protect its heritage significance by ensuring its viability as a community.” [4]

If a Development Plan had been made for Ross in 2012, when it could have been, would the amazing potential of Ross have been seen, rather than seeing a “retirement community” that must be stabilised.

No other town in the Northern Midlands is described as a “retirement community”.

With a Development Plan in hand providing a vision for the future of Ross, it may not have been possible to sell the old Ross School.

Could that be why Ross did not get a Development Plan in 2012?

The petition for people to sign who wish to see the old School oval remain in public hands, will remain open at 39 Church Street in Ross until the end of January, when it will be presented to the Northern Midlands Council for the February meeting of Councillors.

REFERENCE ~

[1] Heart of historic Ross revitalised, The Country Courier, December 2016, page 4

[2] Minutes of the Ross Local District Committee, 7 December 2016, but only published just before Christmas
Northern Midlands Council
http://www.northernmidlands.tas.gov.au/files/Minutes_Ross_Local_District_Committee/2016-12-07__RLDC_Minutes_.pdf#sthash.AckVTPbq.dpuf

[3] Development Plans
Northern Midlands Council
http://www.northernmidlands.tas.gov.au/Page/Page.aspx?Page_Id=351

[4] Interim Planning Scheme 2013, A-12, 3.6.1.6 Ross
Northern Midlands Council
http://www.northernmidlands.tas.gov.au/files/Planning_Forms/NMC_Interim_Planning_Scheme_2013.pdf
Kim Peart, Ross