Why a Local Area Plan?

Brighton Council and Mesh Planning (Mesh) are preparing a Local Area Plan (LAP) to guide future growth, land use, infrastructure, and community outcomes for Brighton and Pontville. The preparation of a LAP was a key recommendation of the recently endorsed Brighton Activity Centre Strategy.

The LAP will balance new development with local character, support jobs and services, protect heritage, and improve transport and public spaces. It will ensure that the future development of these suburbs is aligned to local, regional and state planning policy and strategies.

What We've Heard So Far?

Mesh and Brighton Council have completed two rounds of stakeholder engagement as of February 2026.

The first engagement activity was targeted stakeholder workshops with key stakeholders from Brighton and Pontville as well as State Agencies (such as Taswater).

The second round was seeking feedback via a survey and written submissions on the Issues and Opportunities mapping prepared by Mesh.

A summary of results can be viewed below and in the Document Library.

Stakeholder Engagement #1 Summary- Targeted Workshops


Stakeholder Engagement #2 Summary- Survey and Submissions

During consultation undertaken so far for the Brighton & Pontville Local Area Plan, the community and key stakeholders shared clear priorities for how the area should grow and change. Here’s a snapshot of the key themes:

Urban & Rural Identity
  • Strong desire to maintain a clear rural–urban break, especially around Pontville.
  • Mixed views on the proposed boundaries, but strong support for protecting rural character.
Retail & Local Services
  • Positive support for more retail and hospitality options in the right locations.
  • Interest in cafés, small shops, and heritage‑sensitive businesses.
  • Interest in additional commercial zoned land in South Brighton.
Housing
  • Support for more diverse and higher‑density housing in well‑serviced, central areas.
  • Concerns about parking, small lot sizes and maintaining neighbourhood character.
  • Request for additional land to be added to the urban growth boundary.
  • Request for additional Rural Living zoned land to be considered.
Walking, Cycling & Transport
  • Strong call for safer, better connected footpaths and cycling routes.
  • Requests for improved crossings, lighting, and more reliable bus access.
Parks & Public Spaces
  • Clear requests for upgrades to parks, playgrounds, toilets and community spaces.
  • Key locations raised include Memorial Park, Ford Road, the IGA area and Ted Jeffries Park.
Heritage & Character
  • Strong emphasis on protecting Pontville’s heritage buildings, large trees and historic feel.
  • Support for design guidelines to ensure new development fits local character

This feedback is helping shape the next stage of the Plan, including future housing typologies, public space improvements, and approaches to heritage and character.

Next Steps

Consultation on the Issues and Opportunities has concluded and Mesh will now prepare the draft LAP mapping and supporting report. These documents will be taken to a Council Meeting before being exhibited for public comment for a period of one month. Submissions can be made during that time. We anticipate this will occur in May.