Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison MP was excited to welcome NSW Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, to Maitland today for the release of the Draft Hunter Regional Plan and the Draft Plan for Growing Hunter City.

“With the fastest growing community in the Hunter, and representing the geographical heart of our region, Maitland is the right place to launch this plan,” said Ms Aitchison.

“Labor Members have all advocated for the release of this draft which represents an opportunity for everyone in our community to have a say in the direction of planning in our region.”

“I encourage everyone in our community to provide a response to the draft plans. If we want affordable housing, if we want a more coordinated approach to development across the region, if we want to ensure that flood plain management and other environmental impacts are considered we all need to provide input.”

“I want the widest possible response to this plan to ensure that we work collaboratively across local government areas, across our community, and across all stakeholders in planning.”

“Our elected representatives will play a vital role in how input is gathered to ensure it is a plan which truly represents the views of everyone in our community.”

“This is an important opportunity for our community to have its say.”

“I am pleased to see Minister Stokes taking the initiative by launching this plan here in Maitland and including me as the local member. It is time government was about people and communities rather than politics.

“We are a diverse community, from metropolitan city centres to rural villages, tourism and heritage destinations, heavy industrial centres, mining towns and suburbia. We have a variety of habitats including national parks, flood plains and rivers, prime agricultural land and mineral rich soils, beaches and sand dunes”.

“Our diversity is our strength and we must ensure our plans leverage this diversity as an advantage.

“Our disparate town centres mean transport is always a challenge and this is something I will continue to work for to ensure it is reflected in the final version of this plan.”

“Like all our elected representatives in the Hunter, I look forward to reading the plan and working with all stakeholders to ensure the plans reflects the wishes and meets the needs of our growing and diverse communities.”