Michael Buxton

Patterns of Urban Consolidation in Melbourne: Planning Policy and the Growth of Medium Density Housing

This article describes the changing nature and extent of urban consolidation in Melbourne in the context of government policy. It also compares, for two periods, 1997–98 and 2002–2003, the amount of medium density development categorised by development size, approved in four municipalities (Boroondara, Stonnington, Port Phillip and Yarra) and its location particularly in relation to public transport. The article draws conclusions from these trends for the operation of medium density codes in Melbourne, and for the new metropolitan strategy.

Density and Outer Urban Development in Melbourne

The issue of residential density is again an important issue in strategic land use planning in Australia. For decades, Australian planners generally have accepted the conventional position that increasing the density of urban settlement on the urban fringe will achieve negligible land savings because the amount of land required for non-residential purposes remains constant. This position continues to affect government policy and practice. This article analyses the role of residential density in debates about urban form, and shows the potential for land savings from different scenarios of increased residential density and urban design. The article demonstrates the capacity for increased residential densities in new outer suburbs of cities to significantly contain outward urban growth.

Urban Land Supply, Governance and the Pricing of Land

This article examines the relationships between regulatory urban policy and land prices concentrating on the claimed impacts of urban growth boundaries (UGBs) using Melbourne, Australia, as a case study. Claims about these relationships have influenced the development of urban strategic policy internationally. The article finds no clear evidence that the introduction of a legislated UGB in Melbourne in 2003 has led to price increases of urban or rural land on the metropolitan fringe and evaluates factors which complicate claims about UGB policy influences on land price.

Protecting Melbourne's Green Belt

In September 2002, the Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, announced that Melbourne’s non-urban areas would be protected from development by legislation as part of its metropolitan strategy, Melbourne 2030. This suggests a change in planning philosophy. Victoria adopted a deregulated market oriented planning system during the Kennett years (Buxton, 1999; Gleeson and Low, 2000) but now may be returning to strategic land use planning and a central role for government. Melbourne’s non-urban zones include green wedges sited between urban growth corridors and a broader green belt throughout large areas of fringe metropolitan area councils. If legislation is to be effective in protecting this area, it should define the boundary to urban growth, prohibit urban uses in non-urban areas and curtail subdivision. The Victorian government has undertaken to include these provisions in its legislation (DOI, 2002a, b). The legislation will remove major land use decisions for these areas from local councils, planning panels, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and the Minister. Any decision to create a residential subdivision and allow other urban related uses will have to be approved by Parliament. This will be the first use of legislation in Australia to control land use and development in this way. The legislation presented to the Victorian Parliament in April 2003 establishes an urban growth boundary, defines the extent of the green belts, prevents subdivision below existing minimum lot sizes and requires prior ministerial approval for local councils to commence planning scheme amendments. In addition, the government will prohibit inappropriate urban uses in the green belt through the use of the planning system. The policy to preserve the non-urban zone areas between and outside urban growth corridors was introduced in Melbourne in the late 1960s. In 1968, the Victorian government decided to concentrate new urban development along growth corridors and protect the areas in between for non-urban uses. This position was further developed in 1971 by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works in Planning Policies for the Melbourne Metropolitan Region, Melbourne’s first regional plan (MMBW, 1971). Subsequent government policies reinforced the preservation of these non-urban zones from urban development (MMBW, 1980, 1981; Government of Victoria, 1987, 1995). This model of linear development corridors coupled with green wedges and a green belt is a distinctive feature of Melbourne when compared with other metropolitan areas in Australia. The model was influenced by both the work of British planners in the Ebenezer Howard tradition, and the form of development pursued by a limited number of overseas cities such as Copenhagen and Stockholm. Legislation in the form proposed would not take away long held rights, but reaffirm the subdivision and use provisions of planning schemes which applied for over 20 years until removed by the Kennett government.

The impact of planning ‘reform’ on the Victorian land use planning system

Victorian governments have redesigned the Victorian land use planning system progressively since 1996. The main features are the imposition of centralised, statewide enabling provisions designed to deregulate the planning approvals system coupled with substantial increases in ministerial power. A first stage of system deregulation, introduced in 1996–1999, proved to be counterproductive, causing higher costs, delays, uncertainty and increased complexity because of increased discretion over development approvals and complex layered provisions. A second stage, introduced in 2013, reduces discretion and prohibitions by increasing the number of uses and developments not requiring planning approval. This second stage has been strongly influenced by a national planning reform agenda being implemented in Australian states. The Victorian neoliberal planning system renders metropolitan strategy redundant with important implications for future city functioning, spatial and social division and environmental quality.

Victoria's Kennett government: Its impact on urban and regional planning

Abstract Each of our three contributors feels that the 1990s Kennett government massively changed the way that planning is performed within Victoria. Michael Buxton argues that the planning system we have had since this era is worse than the system it replaced. Trevor Budge then shows how the Kennett initiatives damaged the rural electorates trust of conservative parties, driving regional Victoria closer towards alternative parties and independent members. Finally, Ray Boyle explains how the sacking of so many local government planners caused a huge loss of corporate memory within the sector. These are important lessons that all readers should at least consider.

Spatial planning and changing landscapes: a failure of policy in peri-urban Victoria, Australia

Building on the scientific literature, this article first summarises the socio-environmental impacts of land-use change expected to occur in high amenity Australian peri-urban areas, involving in particular, the effects of land development on agriculture, biodiversity, landscape character, bushfire risk and social factors. Second, the current spatial planning framework and its distribution in seven municipalities in Victoria, Australia, is critically analysed, and records of approved planning permits are related to this framework to assess the challenges posed by peri-urban growth. We argue that the current planning framework supports a static approach which does not address foreseen challenges and lacks strategic power. Both the strategic framework and the development approval process lead to unanticipated, cumulative impacts and contestation. A more coordinated, less urban-centric approach to planning and the introduction of rural land-use plans would substantially address some of the issues encountered.

Farming the City Fringe: Dilemmas for Peri-Urban Planning

Australian peri-urban agriculture is highly significant and makes a major contribution to state and national agricultural production. However, peri-urban areas on the fringes of metropolitan and regional urban centres in Australia have witnessed unprecedented rapid urban growth during the last three decades. Attempts to manage the outward expansion of our cities and the resultant loss of good quality agricultural land and landscape fragmentation through conventional urban planning and growth management strategies have essentially failed. In examining the complex relationships between land use planning and peri-urban agriculture, the chapter focuses on the contribution of peri-urban agriculture and the role of planning systems in assisting its retention or displacement. It reports the findings of a scenario planning exercise centred on Australia’s two fastest growing metropolitan regions—South East Queensland and the greater Melbourne region and examines the adequacy of conventional land use and natural resource management planning processes. The chapter then focuses on the Melbourne Metropolitan region to provide a post-scenario planning review of that region’s peri-urban agricultural viability and the adequacy of its associated planning policies.

When growth collides: conflict between urban and airport growth in Melbourne, Australia

ABSTRACT International airports make significant contributions to state economies but can detract from local and regional amenity. Australian studies have examined the growth and management of major Australian airports particularly the gateway city of Sydney, and land-use issues associated with airport commercial developments. However, the impacts on future airport operations of incremental urban encroachment onto green belts around airports have been largely ignored. Development around some Australian airports is adding new housing estates to land close to airports. Such development threatens the curfew-free status of Melbourne Airport, the nation’s second largest airport, particularly when coupled with the construction of a planned third runway. This paper examines the failures of Commonwealth, State and local policy and planning systems to prevent extensive urban encroachment over the past 50 years in the green belt surrounding Melbourne Airport and the reciprocal impacts from this development. The threat to airport operations from residential development can only worsen as the projected contribution of Melbourne Airport to the state economy and passenger numbers set to double between 2025 and 2033. The paper examines key planning decisions, relates these to policy and institutional failures, and points to the need for integrated sectoral planning to minimise further impacts and threats.

Soil moisture change and land use in Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT Soil moisture is a critical component of a wide range of human activities. Its decline correlates well with climate change. This study extends the examination of soil moisture in Victoria, Australia by the pioneering work undertaken in 1965 by G.D. Aitchinson and B.G. Richards. It examines trends in soil moisture in three, twenty-year, and six, ten-year periods from 1948–2007. This 60-year period includes a number of wet and dry periods and provides long-term trends that should be considered in assessing the impacts of climate change on land use. The study applied the Thornthwaite Moisture Index using data on rainfall, temperature, potential evapotranspiration and soil water-holding capacity from 135 Victorian weather stations. This led to the development of soil moisture zones depicting the extent of changes between time periods. The findings hold significant implications for the future of agricultural production and construction suggesting that some practices will cease or shift to different areas. Risk from bushfires may also be increased. The findings point to the importance of soil moisture as one of many important factors contributing to the resilience of complex socio-physical systems.