Wagga council 20-year vision sets out to build 15-minute city.

Mayor Greg Conkey said the council needs to plan for the future, which means providing housing options that are diverse and meet the demands of an expanding population.

His comments follow the unanimous decision at Monday night's council meeting to release a draft document for public consultation, which outlines the long-term vision for land use within the city that anticipates significant growth in the next two decades.

The document puts emphasis on building "a compact city with shorter journeys," which could only be achieved if additional housing in a range of styles and densities are built within a 15-minute drive to basic needs such as shops, services and recreation facilities.

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"We are trying to meet the demand for a variety of lifestyle choices. Some people want to live in places like the northern suburbs ... but people also want to live more central," Cr Conkey said.

"That's where places like the development proposed for Morgan Street come into play and the development at the Old Leagues Club site. They are providing choices.

"It is really market driven and no doubt the developers will try and capture what the market requires - and that includes Wagga's northern suburbs, as well as the infill development."

Wagga-based independent valuer Chris Egan said the city "does not have any hope in hell" of being anywhere near a population of 100,000 residents unless the council makes major changes to the use of land.

He said the focus must also shift to upgrading Wagga's infrastructure such as bridges and roads because they are not equipped for a population boom.

"This 15-minute concept is fine, but there needs to be a hell lot of capital injected into infrastructure to maintain that standard of living," he said.

Mr Egan said a 15-minute concept for residential growth will uphold the main reason for people choosing to relocate to regional cities like Wagga.

"We live in regional areas for the ease of convenience and access. Once it goes, we are not going to get people moving here," he said. However, he said a city like Wagga needs to offer a broad range of housing options because the demographic is changing and many want compact living spaces as opposed to big backyards.

"If they have any chance of reaching a population of 100,000, we need to provide all range of accommodation in the city," he said.

The council's draft Local Strategic Planning Statement can be viewed by the public during the next 42 days, and a variety of community engagement workshops and planned sessions will be offered to discuss the document.

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Regional activation director Michael Keys said the community is encouraged to submit their feedback on the proposal during this time.

"We want to hear their ideas, their thoughts and feedback. It is fairly high-level and provides a strategic outlook for the city. It is not down to what's happening in one street," he said. "[It looks at] the shape of the city, where new residential areas will go, where should we get more apartments, a mix of new activity in and around the main street and where the jobs will be going."

Mr Keys said a long-term vision will guide the council as it plans for new infrastructure and upgrades of its existing network.

"It will help people understand where this city is going so they can make valuable choices about why they move here ... but also where they want to live long-term," he said.

The draft document also considers the heritage conservation area, which has stirred up concerns in recent months. Mr Keys said the was council looking to find a balance that brings people into the city and creates more activity for businesses to thrive, while protecting those key character items.