Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities
Contents
Background
Recent population forecasts indicate that Melbourne's population will reach 5 million sooner than expected. Meeting the needs of our rapidly growing population will involve more than just making sure there are enough homes for everyone.
Safeguarding our liveability also depends on:
- Having a choice of affordable housing options available;
- Meeting the transport needs of people and businesses;
- Improving employment opportunities;
- Protecting our highly valued open space and biodiversity; and
- Ensuring infrastructure and services are in place and ready to support communities as they grow.
This means that, as well as allowing for an additional 284,000 new homes to be built in Melbourne's growth areas over the next 20 years, land must be set aside now for the community and public infrastructure (including road and transport links) and employment that residents and businesses expect. Areas of open space and areas of particular natural significance must also be preserved now for everyone to enjoy into the future.
Melbourne @ 5 million and The Victorian Transport Plan, which were released by the Government at the end of 2008, proposed a number of initiatives to meet these challenges including reviewing the Urban Growth Boundary, establishing grassland reserves in Melbourne's west, and providing major transport infrastructure.
After the release of Melbourne @ 5 million and The Victorian Transport Plan, an Inter-Departmental Taskforce was established by the Department of Planning and Community Development to oversee the review of Melbourne's Urban Growth Boundary and the implementation of integrated land use and transport initiatives in Melbourne's new growth areas.
The following agencies formed the Taskforce with the Department of Planning and Community Development:
- Department of Premier and Cabinet;
- Department of Treasury and Finance;
- Department of Sustainability and Environment;
- Department of Transport, VicRoads; and the
- Growth Areas Authority.
Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities contains the findings of the Taskforce. It outlines the Government's proposals to:
- Revise Melbourne's Urban Growth Boundary and designate land for development;
- Plan the alignments of the Regional Rail Link (west of Werribee to Deer Park) and the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor; and
- Define the boundaries and management of areas for grassland reserves in Melbourne's west.
1. Melbourne's Urban Growth Boundary is being reviewed to ensure that enough land is available to meet the needs of Melbourne's growing population.
Changes to the Urban Growth Boundary are recommended in Melbourne's west (between Melton, Caroline Springs and Werribee); north (from Epping North and Craigieburn to Beveridge and around Sunbury); and south-east (south-east of Cranbourne including Clyde).
The Department of Planning and Community Development website has detailed information about the proposed changes to the Urban Growth Boundary, including:
- Maps of the proposed revisions; and
- A report outlining the proposed changes and the rationale behind them.
2. The Regional Rail Link will be the biggest expansion of the Melbourne's rail network in 25 years. The route for the 50 kilometre, twin-track rail link, is proposed to run from west of Werribee to Southern Cross Station via Tarneit and Sunshine, separating regional and metropolitan train services.
The Government is currently consulting on the proposed alignment of the west of Werribee to Deer Park section of the overall Regional Rail Link project.
The Department of Transport website has detailed information about the proposed alignment for the Regional Rail Link, including:
- Maps of the proposed alignment; and
- A report summarising why the proposed alignment has been chosen.
3. The Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor will create a major arterial transport corridor providing links between Melbourne's west and north. The proposed route for the Transport Corridor includes road and rail links between the Werribee, Melton, Tullamarine and Craigieburn / Mickleham areas, a road link from the Metropolitan Ring Road in Thomastown to the Outer Metropolitan Ring Transport Corridor at the Hume Freeway, and a road link between the Deer Park Bypass and the Outer Metropolitan Ring.
The VicRoads website has detailed information about the proposed route for the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor, including:
- Maps of the proposed route;
- A report summarising why the proposed route has been chosen; and
- Supplementary Technical Reports.
4. The Victorian Government is working with the Commonwealth Government to reduce the impacts of urban development on threatened flora and fauna species. Areas of natural significance must be considered and preserved when action is taken to secure housing and infrastructure for a city's growing population. Part of developing an action plan for Melbourne's future growth has involved undertaking a Strategic Impact Assessment of Biodiversity.
The Strategic Impact Assessment identifies some key locations of national environmental significance and recommends that, in order to protect these significant areas, two major grasslands reserves be created in Melbourne's west.
Two large areas of native grassland to the west of Melbourne are proposed to be preserved for future generations. These native grasslands are listed as a critically endangered ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and are also listed as threatened under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment website has details of the Strategic Impact Assessment, and the proposal to create two major grasslands reserves, including:
- A draft copy of the Strategic Impact Assessment Report;
- Maps of the proposed grasslands reserves; and
- A report summarising the rationale for creating the reserves, and their proposed location.
You can get more information about the four proposals by:
- Reading the maps, reports and information on each project's website (see the links in project overviews, above);
- Visiting Melbourne Planning Maps Online to see how your property is affected;
- Calling our information line on 1800 090 789 (8.30 am - 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday) - our staff can answer your questions and send out documents including maps, reports, and fact sheets.
A public consultation process was conducted from 17 June to 17 July 2009. Submissions have now closed. The Government is currently reviewing all submissions received.
A preliminary review of submissions has led the Government to consider alternative options for parts of the Regional Rail Link (west of Werribee to Deer Park), Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor and grassland reserves in Melbourne's west.
On 7 August 2009, the Inter-departmental Taskforce endorsed an investigation of potential minor refinements to the alignments of the transport corridors and boundary of the grassland reserves. To view the alternative options go to the maps on the Department of Planning and Community Development website.
Affected property owners and occupiers can provide a submission to the Victorian Government by 21 September 2009.
Submissions on the alternative options can be emailed to planning.melbourne@dpcd.vic.gov.au or sent to:
Growth Areas Authority
Level 6, 35 Spring Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
All submissions received will be considered by the Victorian Government before it makes any decisions. The Government is yet to make a decision on its preferred option for the transport corridor alignments and boundary of the grassland reserves.
INTERPRETER: If you do not speak English, please call 03 9280 0752 and a telephone interpreter will assist you with your call.
