City of Clarence has formally adopted the Richmond Village Master Plan 2026,
providing a long-term vision for the future of one of Tasmania’s most treasured historic
villages.
Adopted at the Council Meeting on 29 June, the Richmond Village Master Plan 2026 (Master Plan) will guide any future planning and development in Richmond over the next 20-years, highlighting investment opportunities in Richmond Village and throughout the region.
Richmond is a place of national significance and one of Tasmania’s most visited tourism destinations, valued for its heritage, character, and strong sense of community.
The Master Plan provides a clear direction for protecting these qualities while enhancing the village for residents, businesses, and visitors over the coming decades.
It seeks to improve and enhance public spaces and the heritage-sensitive streetscapes, and includes accessibility upgrades, and pedestrian safety initiatives, such as management of parking.
Developed with extensive community engagement from residents, businesses, and other stakeholders, the Master Plan balances Richmond’s role as a thriving local community and tourism destination.
Its adoption followed two phases of community engagement undertaken between 2023
and 2024, including workshops, pop-up sessions and online consultation conducted
during Richmond’s Bicentenary celebrations.
The latest Engagement Report can be read on Your Say Clarence.
The final Master Plan reflects community feedback, and includes improvements to pedestrian safety, accessibility, public spaces, and visitor management.
A key outcome from engagement was to retain two-way traffic across Richmond Bridge after the community said they did not want a single-lane bridge preferring easy access and minimal congestion in the village.
Importantly, the Richmond Village Master Plan is a strategic framework rather than a fixed design blueprint. Individual projects will be subject to detailed design, technical investigations, heritage assessments, funding availability, and further community consultation.
The plan will continue to guide future planning and investment decisions, with projects to be delivered progressively as funding becomes available, and priorities are determined through future budget processes.
The first project guided by the Master Plan has already been funded, which is an upgrade to the play space and improvements to the Richmond Village Green.