Contents

• Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities
• Background
• Project overviews
• Getting more information

Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities

Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities is the culmination of work focussed on land use, transport and environmental initiatives. It takes an integrated approach to land use and transport planning so that infrastructure and essential services will be delivered as new communities in the growth areas develop.

These initiatives will deliver the most significant land use and transport changes that Melbourne has experienced in a generation. Importantly, these initiatives, built on sound policy platforms, will maintain Melbourne's liveability as the city's population approaches five million.

Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities was informed by a number of separate but interlinked documents, including independent advice and specialist reports for the Urban Growth Boundary and transport projects, and a Strategic Impact Assessment Report to meet the requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The planning elements required for these projects are contained in Amendment VC68 (July 2010).

This amendment expands Melbourne's Urban Growth Boundary, and puts in place Public Acquisition Overlays for the proposed 15,000 hectare native grasslands reserve, the Regional Rail Link and the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor.

It is vital for Melbourne's future housing affordability that the Urban Growth Boundary be extended and revenue secured to build infrastructure and facilities for new communities.

The mechanism to secure this revenue is set out in the Planning and Environment Amendment (Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution) Act 2010.

Further information about Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities can be found at Department of Planning and Community Development website.

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.

The Department of Planning and Community Development website has detailed information about the proposed changes to the Urban Growth Boundary.

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 Department of Transport website has detailed information about the proposed alignment for the Regional Rail Link.

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.

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.

• Read the latest project update on the Department of Planning and Community Development's website
• Call our information line on 1800 090 789 (8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday) - our staff can answer your questions and send out documents including maps and reports.

INTERPRETER: If you do not speak English, please call 03 9280 0752 and a telephone interpreter will assist you with your call.