Planning in Victoria- Focus on Melbourne

Victoria has arguably the best planning system in Australia in regards to its organisation of state and local powers. At a state level it is run by the department of planning and community development which controls powers on land use and environmental assessment. It’s a system which is more cohesive and it is easier to navigate with their “technical guide to interpretation and administrative procedure’s under the “planning and environmental act in 1987” and the “planning and environmental regulations in 2005”. This document gives local council clear guidelines to abide by and direct most planning decisions them in reference to something in their local government area. They have both state planning schemes and how local policies are enacted in these schemes online for all people to see.

Rob Adams’ lecturer on the evolution of Melbourne was very well done. It brought across the message that plans do take time to work. He discussed the changes in the dynamics of Melbourne from the 1980’s til present. It showed the need for people to live in the cities and for fewer cars to go through the centre. The biggest message he brought across was that good streets = a good city. Therefore the main change in Melbourne from the 1980’s to now was the requirement to not have blank walls, but rather interesting streets with wide open footpaths and shopfronts for the person. Not streets with high levels of car which make it uninviting for the regular person to look around and shop in the area. His idea was smart, as it used economic incentive to get people to live or commute within the city, which as we learnt from Hamish was essential if you wished to get a plan completed.