Townscape Improvement in Victoria

TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT IN VICTORIA

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 'TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA '84' SEMINARS HELD IN ARARAT AND WANGARATTA JULY 1984

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TOWNSCAPE ADVISORY SERVICE

MINISTRY FOR PLANNING AND 711 . IRONMENT 4309 945 VIC :T copy 2

MPE LIBRARY

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TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT IN VICTORIA

Proceedings from the 11 TONNSCAPE VICTORIA 1 84 11 seminars

held in Ararat on 24/7/84 and Wangaratta on 26/7/84

TOWNSCAPE ADVISORY SERVICE

MINISTRY FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

JAl\IUARY 1985 ,. ~----~--- :711. 4309 4408052 ,945 VIC:T Townscape improvement :copy 2 in Victoria : proceedings from the "Townscape Victoria '84" seminars _:~~;:~;~~!_t~~ ~~/7/84 __ j The Ministry gratefully acknowledges financial assistance received from the Garden State Committee towards the production of these proceedings. C 0 N T E N T S Page 1. INTROOUCTION 1 2. THE TOWNSCAPE ADVISORY SERVICE 3 3. TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA - A PERSPECTIVE 4 Profe:s:so:r Alexander E Rottray, (Townscape Advisory Service Ministry for Planning and Environment, and Professor and ' Head, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Manitoba) 4. "A SENSE OF PLACE" - IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTER OF A TOWN 8 AND USING IT AS A CONTEXT FOR IMPROVEMENTS Justin Francis and Ray Tonkin (Heritage Unit, Ministry for Planning and Environment) 5. TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT AND THE TOWN PLANNING PRCX:ESS 16 Wendy Morris (Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment) 6. STAWELL - EXPERIENCE WITH THE GOLD REEF MALL 25 Alan Howells (Town Engineer, Town of Stowell) 7. PORT FAIRY - LINKING HERITAGE STUDIES TO TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT 34 Cr Russell Clark (Borough of Port Fairy) Craig Wilson (Heritage Unit, Ministry for Planning and Environment) Simon Banfield (Warrnambool Off ice, Ministry for Planning and Environment) 8. DIMBOOLA - GETTING READY FOR LIFE AFTER THE BYPASS 43 Jenny Goddard (Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment) 9. CHILTERN - IMPLEMENTATION OF TOWNSCAPE STUDY PROPOSALS 55 Graeme Alford (Shire Engineer, Shire of Chiltern) 10. ECONotv1IC AND SCX:IAL BENEFITS OF TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT - 62 A CASE STUDY IN STANHOPE Wendy Morris (Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment) 11. OFF THE DRAWING BOARD AND ONTO THE GROUND 71 Nick Safstrom (Loder and Bayly) 12. FUNDING FOR TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS 78 Jon Shields (Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment) YNTROOU er ION

Townscape improvement is of vital interest to many Victorian communities. It is a complex process relating to fields as diverse as social cohesion and landscaping, business improvement and community art, town planning decisions and building restoration. The benefits that derive from townscape improvement are similarly diverse, ranging from improved environmental quality to major commercial centre revitalisation, from increased community pride to restoration of historic precincts.

Early in 1984 the Ministry for Planning and Environment formally established a Townscape Advisory Service to assist local communities undertaking townscape improvements. In July the Ministry held two 11 11 seminars - in Ararat and Wangaratta - known as TownscapeVictoria '84 • These seminars aimed to provide representatives of Victorian cities and towns with an overview of the planning and implementation of townscape improvement programs, stressing that a high quality result should not only respect a town's cultural heritage but also contribute to its physical, social end economic environment. The specific objectives of the seminar program were:

to introduce the Townscape Advisory Service;

to outline the approach adopted by the Townscape Advisory Service in its work with Victorian cities and towns; to illustrate, through examples of work completed and underway, the processes of townscape improvement in Victoria; and

to provide general and practical information and advice regarding townscape improvement programs.

The seminars were attended by municipal councillors and officers (repre senting over 50% of Victoria's country and 15% of metropolitan municipalities), local business and community leaders, and members of professions such as planning, ,u~ban design and landscape architecture.

Although many of the papers presented relied heavily on visual material to convey their messages, it was nevertheless felt there would be considerable value in collating and editing the material into a set of seminar proceedings.

The first paper provides an overview of townscape - what makes up a townscape and how it can be analysed - then identifies some gene~al principles for good townscape improvement. The second and third papers build on this one, providing information on how to evaluate a town's character and how to use the town planning process in townscape improvement.

1 The next four papers deal with townscape improvement activities which have occurred in four Victorian towns. The Gold Reef Mall in Stowell represents one of the earliest projects whilst the program in Dimboola is both one of the most recent, and one which has had the close involvement of the Townscape Advisory Service. Port Fairy and Chiltern are both historic country towns where improvement programs began with building restoration, and are.now extending to .cover public area improvements. Chiltern, in particular, has had great success in obtaining funding from a wide variety of Government sources.

The final three papers cover specific aspects of the townscape improvement process. Ideas on economic and social improvements are presented with the results of a retail survey that followed street improvements in Stanhope. The issues involved in implementation of plans to ensure a high quality streetscape project are presented in the next peper, whilst finally ideas for, and sources of funding for townscape improvement projects ore outlined. ·

These papers can be taken as generally reflecting the 'state of the art' in townscape improvement in Vittoria. Whilst it is clear that there is a long way to go before the potential of Victoria's rich and diverse townscape heritage is fully realised, the beginnings are encouraging.

2 THE TOWNSCAPE ADVISORY SERVI(E

The Townscape Advisory Service was established by the Ministry for Planning and Environment early in 1984, in recognition of an increasing need for technical assistance to be available to those undertaking townscape improvement works occuring throughout Victoria. The Service complements the Ministry's Urban Streetscape Program which provides heritage advisory services in towns of historic significance. Together the programs illustrate the strong level of commitment that the Ministry has to the maintenance and upgrading of Victoria's urban environments. In 1984 the Townscape Advisory Service was sponsored by Nubrik and the State Electricity Commission. With their assistance, an experienc.ed Canadian landscape architect, Professor Alexander E Rattray·was brought to Victoria for four months to provide very valuable leadeishi~ to thi ' Service in. its early stages. . ..

The Service has a staff of five with skills in planning, landscape architecture, architecture, promotion and corrmunity involvement. Their services are available· free to municipal councils and townscape improvement groups. Assistance is available on request, and is tailored to the needs and urgency of the project and the resources available. The assistance provided includes: introductory townscape presentations guidance in townscape analysis and design work preparing consultant briefs promotional and funding advice retail trader surveys and marketing advice

provision of workshops, publications and displays. The response to the Service has been excellent and over the last twelve months assistance has been provided to more than twenty towns. A number of others are already prograrrmed well into 1985. The Townscape Advisory Service may be contacted through any one of the Ministry's regional offices, or directly at 150 Queen Street, (PO Box 2240T) Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.

3 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA '84 11 SEMINARS

TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA: A PERSPECTIVE

Alexander E Rattray Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment and Professor & Head, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Manitoba~ Canada

INTRODUCTION

Townscape Victoria is about Victorian cities and towns, their natural settings and buildings, parklands and open spaces, footpaths and roadways, special activity areas and special places, and their people who, consciously or otherwise, have and continue to shape the physical environments of our communities ..... our townscapes. This paper offers an outsider's view of the rich and diverse Victorian townscape as it exists today, identifies some of the issues which affect the form and quality of our townscapes,and draws lessons from recent Victorian townscape improvement works.

This perspective is based on over a year of involvement with state and local planning officials, local governments, corrmunity groups and individuals - all students, in one way or another - of townsca~e. As well, it is the result of travel, by air, by car, by boat and, most importantly, by foot,to view - and experience - the townscapes of Victoria.

TOWNSCAPE

The Oxford dictionary defines townscape as "the visual appearance of a town". For most of us terms such as "image" and "visual character" serve equally well in giving townscape definition. What is perhaps most striking to the visitor is the incredible richness and diversity of townscape character in Victoria, the visual expression of a complex interaction of the State's natural landscape and cultural heritage. From the thin coastal strip in the south to the banks of the Murray in the north, the dry desert-like environment of the Mollee to the Eastern Highlands, the rich energy resources of the Latrobe Valley to the productive basalt plains of the Ballarat region, the natural setting upon which generations of Victorians have left their imprint remains an indescribably beautiful and, with proper stewardship, bountiful landscape. This natural setting, coupled with the cultural legacy of those who have come before, of fishermen and traders, of gold diggers and graziers, and the many others, and their institutions and buildings and so much more ..... this interaction of people and place .... hos given Victoria, in our time, a truly magnificient heritage; a townscape legacy to be treasured, respected, and built upon.

4 For it must be acknowledged that our cities and towns ore in the process of change - of transformotion - as they must, in response to both internal and external pressures. To guide this stage in the evolution of our communities, and to sustain existing or create new townscopes of quality will require our commitment and understanding. Commitment to the idea that townscape of high quality is important, as it is. It is important to the social well-being of our cities and towns contributing, as it does, to a sense of community pride and identity. As well, it con be on important factor in the economy of our cities and towns, and there is now clear evidence that townscape of high quality- strengthens community economic well-being. Understanding of our post and present is equally important. It is absolutely essential that we understand well 11 those ports of our past referred to in The Australian Heritage as 0 11 1 brilliant compression of much in little". and "places we should keep • It is important that the best of our post be kept, protected and restored, not simply as museum pieces, but as integral components of our contem porary townscopes, contributing to the life and vitality of our communities. It is no less important that we understand well our present; the social, political and economic dynamics of our communities as they exist today. Only with such on understanding of the post and present con we begin to contribute to the on-going process of shaping our physical environments in such a way as to ensure they. ore truly responsive to the needs of residents now and in the future, while enhancing on invaluable townscape inheritance.

TONNSCAPE ISSUES With this as background, it is perhaps useful to briefly identify those internal and external factors which impact on townscape quality. In Victoria it would appear that four issues ore of major significance: downward trends in existing community retail soles patterns either as a result of losses to surrounding communities or to new out-of-town shopping centres, changes to the regional and state transportation net work, recognition of opportunities for improved economic health through tourism and, often coupled with this, the recognition of the significance of a community's architectural heritage. These four factors, together with town improvement incentives and works programmes now available to communities, may be seen as the catalysts of change.

It hos been estimated that at the present time close to half the munici poli ties in the State of Victoria outside the Melbourne metropolitan area ore considering, or hove initiated some level of local improvement programmes in response to one or another of these factors. The process by which these and future works ore carried out, and their potential contribution to the visual character and social and economic well-being of our cities and towns is the central concern of the Townscape Advisory Service.

RECENT VICTORIAN TO#NSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

While it falls to others to explore in detail the various aspects of townscape improvement it is appropriate, at this point, to examine selected examples of recent Victorian townscape works, with a view to context, process and form. Here richness and diversity ore again evident. The context within which programmes hove been initiated, the

5 process by which they have been implemented, and the specific form that environmental change has taken vary greatly from one community to another. And this is as it should be. The dynamics of each city and foWh are different, reflecting different community values and aspirations. Similarly, the social, political, economic and environ mental contexts vary from place to place. While recognizing and respecting these differences, an essential point of departure for all about to embark on community improvement programmes it is,nevertheless, possible to draw several general conclusions.

1. Our townscape may be seen to consist of five basic physical components: regional settings, entrance roads, building and other community landmarks, special and identifiable precincts, and parklands and open space.

2. With a few notable exceptions, successful townscape improvement programmes have recognized and enhanced existing townscape character.

3. To ensure success, townscape improvement programmes should involve the broades:t .level of community support and participation in the planning, design and implementation of the various component projects.

4. Physical improvements to shopping precincts, even if well designed and carefully executed, can have little lasting value unless coupled with sound economic and marketing programmes.

5. The implementation of townscape improvement works should be care fully planned to avoid,or at least minimise,disruption to on-going activities and services, particularly as these works relate to commercial and industrial areas.

CONCLUSION

In a recent State publication, Havens and Degryse put forward the following argument in support of good community environments:

"The basis for most planning and design efforts derives from a concern for the health, safety and welfare of citizens. Health and safety requirements are regulated and controlled by governmental authorities, and are usually satisfied well above minimum standards.

Welfare is another matter. In human beings, welfare is a complex issue which transcends physical and physiological requirements; welfare also includes psychological and emotional factors. Physiologists and psychologists tell us that over seventy-five per cent of perception of the environment occurs through our eyes. It follows, then, that the visual appearance of an urban landscape affects people and is therefore a significant welfare issue. For instance, the quality of a perceived environ~ent is a welfare issue because it affects our emotional health and well-being. Improvement of the phys~cal and visual environment promotes a healthier c:omrnunity. 11

6 There is no question that the people of Victoria, be they elected or appointed officials, special interest or community groups, families or individuals,desire healthier environments. They deserve nothing less. They deserve community environments - townscapes - which elicit d sense of pride and identity and which exhibit high levels of social and economic well-being. Townscapes such as these are possible for all Victoria's cities and towns. They are possible and, surely, deserving of our best efforts.

The subject of townscape obviously is not new; indeed, there is already a substantial body of knowledge on the topic developing in Australia and overseas. What is new, and most encouraging, is that the Government of Victor~a has now established a highly skilled and multi-disciplinary advisory service to assist communities in developing and implementing comprehensive townscape improvement programmes; in shaping townscapes of high quality ... better places to live.

References

1. Australian Heritage Commission, 1981, The Heritage of Australia, Melbourne, Macmillan Company of Australia

2. Havens, WA and Degryse, J. 1981, Townscape:Setmour Case Study Broadsheet Number 5, Melbourne, Garden State ommittee

7 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA 1 84 11 SEMINARS

"A SENSE OF PLACE" - IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTER OF A TOWN AND USING IT AS A CONTEXT FOR IMPROVEMENTS

Justin Francis and Ray Tonkin Heritage Unit Ministry for·Planning and Environment

C 0 N T E N T S

INTROOUCTION GENERAL INFLUENCES AFFECTING A TOWN'S CHARACTER Settlement date and circumstances Settlement pattern and subdivision Climatic influences or constraints Topographic influences Typical or predominant vegetation Typical building materials Typical building styles Building scale and form Community perception SITE SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS Remnant buildings Remnant roads,. drains,etc Original plantings or vegetation APPROACHES TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Restoration Conservation Sensitive Redevelopment Adaptive Redevelopment USING CHARACTER ANALYSIS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Respecting an organic subdivision Orientation to particular features Strengthening dominant vegetation Encouraging use of typical building and construction materials Respecting existing building style, form and scale

8 INTR(])UCTION

For a townscape improvement exercise to be successful it must first appreciate the town's character. Every town in Victoria has a number of basic components which contribute to its character:

every town has a history of European settlement - that.history can relate to the earliest days of settlement and may be 150 years in length (Portland, Williamstown) or perhaps even longer (Sorrento - 180 years) or it can be much shorter (Mt Beauty, Yallourn, Tallangatta).

every town has a heritage - a loosely defined term which tends to relate to the past. The heritage can be everything from the people who live in a place through to a small patch of vegetation which has survived the activities of human settlement, or from the grandest public buildings through to the rubbish deposited by earlier generations.

every town has physical elements which remind us of both a town's history and its heritage.·

It is these things which are major factors in the establishment of a town's (including cities, suburbs) character.

Now, why is this character important? Most of us operate more com fortably and efficiently in an environment with which we are familiar, because it is easier to anticipate responses to our actions and know where to find things to act with. This familiarity does not develop overnight nor does it relate solely to the physical environment.

This character is therefore important in retaining a tangible link with the past, and establishing that most important sense of familiori~y with the past.

The physical form of a town (city, suburb) has generally developed over a long period {some places longer than others) and as a result it is usually not that easy to dramatically change that form.

It is therefore important that this character be identified so that future works.respect the historic development or heritage of an area or, perhaps even more importantlY, so that it con form a framework or theme for future development.

In addition to an understanding of any town's intrinsic character, another concept which must be grasped before any major alteration to, or development in a town will positively enhance its character is the concept of custodianship.

A town, city or suburb is not the exclusive possession of its current citizens. We are simply the temporary custodians of these places and will, very soon, pass them on to our children and others. We also

9 have a growing responsibility to people who pass through these places, not solely for their fleeting interest but also for our own and the town's economic well being and continued future. It is therefore important to respect the heritage of a place and thus give that place /town an individual identity, an identity which attracts visitors and provides a reference for its future custodians.

The next section of this paper outlines those aspects of a town which need to be recognised and understood in order to be able to identify a town's character.

GENERAL INFLUENCES AFFECTING A TOWN'S CHARACTER

Settlement Date and Circumstances

The time and reason for settlement may have a strong influence on the character of a town. Mildura was a barren dry country when the Chaffeys settled there in 1887, attracted by the challenge of irri gating the area in the same way as they had done in the United States. Hence its oasis-type character and its important links to the river for irrigation and inland for trade.

On the other hand, some of the first settlers in Victoria, the Hentys, settled at Portland in 1834. They followed the example of their. whaling and sealing predecessors who had chosen a natural site at the sheltered end of Portland Bay, complete with freshwater. Portland's focus is still centred on the Bay as well as its acting as a service centre for its rural hinterland.

Settlement Pattern or Subdivision

One of the major factors affecting the appearance and character of a . town is sunely whether it grew, naturally, over time or whether it was subdivided formally by the Government.

Natural or organic subdivision patterns are generally indicative of spontaneous settlement. They are associated particularly with mining towns where the natural or random location of gold dictated the location of both roads and buildings. Good examples are Maldon, Chiltern and parts of Ballarat. In Ballarat East the organic pattern is particularly obvious.

Formal or grid subdivision such as the nearby Ballar~t West were usually the result of crown surveys often undertaken only after growth of the town was assured. These areas are more ordered and open in appearance, in disti~ct contrast to the cosy or even intimate feel of organic patterns.

Climatic Influences or Constraints

Particularly in areas where the elements are harsh, the design of individual buildings or associated development may be specifically adapted to combat these elements.

10 Verandahs, an almost ubiquitous element in Australian design, were found to be particularly necessary in the heat of the north. In Mildura for example, verandahs are wide and low and strongly resemble those of North Queensland.

Strong sea breezes battering many of our coastal towns encouraged the planting of windbreaks. Prominent rows of Moreton Bay Figs, Norfolk Pines and Cypress are well known in Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Lakes Entrance respectively.

Topographical Influences The individual topography of an area will not only constrain or encourage the development of o town but has an enormous influence on its individual appearance, as well as views into and out of it.

The flat topography of Euroa provides long brood views and this flat, low appearance is reflected in the architecture of its town centre. The location of Bright on the other hand, gives it an alpine village appearance and feel, with picturesque views out of the town towards the surrounding mountains. Clunes in north central Victoria is nestled in a broad valley with the encircling undeveloped hills forming the horizon from within the town.

Typical or Predominant Vegetation

Whilst it is not a central feature in all towns, any predominant natural or typical introduced vegetation may have a major impact on a town's character and appearance.

Although an introduced species, the palms in Mildura appear in almost every view of the City and Shire, and positively reinforce its oasis character. The traditional use of exotic species in Beechworth and Yackandandah provide colour and shade to their otherwise dry environments. They are also reminiscent of the home countries of many of their early settlers.

Typical Building Materials

The abundance of a particular material or lhe skill or ease with which our early settlers used it often meant that many towns developed a tradition of using certain building materials.

Just as stone rapidly became the predominant building material in the rocky areas of South Australia, so timber became the major material in the early development of Gippsland (eg. Walhalla) and in other areas. · In contrast, stone buildings are common in Port Fairy's early develop ment with limestone cut from local rock outcrops forming the earliest material for their permanent buildings.

In Chiltern, like many mining towns, whilst most buildings are timber, the availability of good clay nearby enabled the production of local orange/red bricks which are predominant in both the public and larger private buildings.

11 Typical Building Styles

Especially where whole areas developed in a short space of time, or were isolated from outside fashions or technology, a similarity of building style invariably resulted.

In the well-to-do areas of Ballarat West, double-fronted Victorian villas on large allotments form the typical building type. In con trast the timber cottages of our mining towns were smaller, with single symmetrical fronts and transverse gable roofs.

Cottages in Warrnambool, whilst also of timber, were traditionally designed with hipped roofs. Their counterparts in Port Fairy only a short distance away used gable roofs. Inner Melbourne development exhibits a totally different character where rows of almost identical terrace houses line the streets, such as in Carlton, often under one roof.

Building Scale and Form

Often a reflection of the prosperity of a community or their general aspirations, the scale, form and style of development will often have a major influence on a town's character.

The transistory existence of many of our early settlers was evident in the rudimentary nature of much of their building, with some early buildings being described as little more than timber tents. The later permanence of setllemenl meant that buildings could be of a more permanent character, often in brick, or brick and render, and of a grand style in contrast to the earlier humble domestic scale. Community Perception

Finally but in some ways more important than any of the criteria already discussed, the views of the local community must be considered in determining character. Not just how they perceive their town and feel about it now, but how they felt about it in the past. Difficult as this information is to obtain, it will be of valuable assistance in evaluating a town's character. SITE SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS

In addition to those broader influences on a town's character, individual or site specific influences may play an even more obvious role. These include any remaining historic buildings, remnants of early roads, kerbs or street furniture, or any obvious or prominent early planting or vegetation.

Remnant Historic Buildings

Firstly, in terms of their contribution to the character of a town, its historic buildings may fall into any of three categories:

as individual features, such as the Exchange Hotel at Foster . . as part of a streetscope, like the commercial facades of Lydiard Street, Ballarat.

12 . as major features in a generally intact town,as are th• early prominent brick buildings in Chiltern.

Remnants of early Roads,Drains, Kerbs or Street Furniture

Secondly, Moldon provides a good example of both roads and drains, with its rough gravel verges of local material plus its old stone drains. This is characteristic of the town, and any attempt to regiment or formalise them would obviously affect the town's image. Both Chiltern and Rushworth are similar examples.

Original Plantings or Vegetation

Thirdly, in addition to any predominant vegetation features already mentioned, many towns exhibit prominent avenue plantings, or orna mental plantings outside particular buildings, which may either announce the entry into the town or punctuate important vistas about the town.

APPROACHES TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Having identified these components and influences on character, how does this help us in directing a town's future development. There are basically three or four individual approaches which may be taken in handling further development in towns which .have undergone this analysis. Here it should be pointed out that once the townsccpe or other appropriate investigation has revealed that a substantial.amount of a town's original building stock still exists, a full conservation study .should be undertaken before any major development or improvement· program is drawn up. Many such studies have already been undertaken in Victoria, predominantly financed by the Government, and these would already cover most of the towns which will fall into the first of the four approaches or categories outlined below.

Restoration

Where much of the original town remains, including its original street layout, its vegetation, and its buildings - then any further new development or infill should be handled by way of Restoration. eg. Maldon, Beechworth, Yackandandah.

Towns in this category have been strongly assisted in their restora tion aimsthroughdetailed conservation analysis and the assistance of both Heritage Advisors and Restoration Funds.

Conservation and Harmonious Inf ill

Where some of the original f obric remains, and is probably interspersed with more modern development, an approach which jointly follows Con~erv6ti6n ond Hormonious Infill is more appropriate, eg. Kilmore. It is. important that this should not be seen as a compromise, but a positive meth.od of retaining what is important and ensuring new works ore complementary both to those buildings and the town as a whole.

13 The third and fourth categories are less easily distinguished but we believe there is merit in attempting to do so. Sensitive Redevelopment

Where only the early form of a town remains, on appropriate approach is really Sensitive Redevelopment. Here a useful example is Lakes Entrance where future development may vary in scale, style and its general appearance to the existing, but the town's orientation to the lakes should be retained.

Adaptive Redevelopment

Where little or no meaningful remnants of the town's early development survive, the development approach should be one of Adaptive Redevelopment. This is by no means a derogatory approach, nor "the bottom.of the scale". It is a valid approach where positive adoptive redevelopment is under taken, in on area where little of a town's early fabric remains.

USING CHARACTER ANALYSIS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Once the most appropriate approach to future development hos been settled, how should any individual chracteristic influence detailed development? Respecting on Organic or Formal Town Subdivision

Organic towns invariably have short closed vistas where buildings con be viewed from many angles. This is apparent in Maldon, Ballarat East and Chiltern to name just a few. Their irregular, sometimes intimate spaces should be retained and where possible reinforced.

Formal to\vn layouts exhibit long views often with wide streets, emphasising continuous streetscopes. Further development should retain these long and open. views - Milduro and Melbourne City are good examples of such formal layouts.

Orientation to Particular Features

Where on orientation to particular f eotures already exist this orientation should be retained and possibly strengthened. At Lakes Entrance, this is seen in the relationship between the one-sided commercial street and the fishing fleet opposite. Also at Port Albert as con be seen in early sketches of the town its strong orientation to:the wharf is obvious. Dominant Planting or Vegetation

Particular plantings or remnant natural vegetation should of course be retained and even reinforced. The picturesque, almost European flavour of towns like Buninyong, Moldon, Clunes and others con easily be retained and strengthened if their many exotic deciduous trees are replaced when necessary using the some species and encouraged in domestic private planting not merely in formal public areas.

14 Building and Other Construction Materials

Where the use of timber predominates, as in most of our early mining towns, its use in new development could be encouraged also. In areas where brick is either common, or obvious on important buildings the use of brick on adjacent or nearby sites should be of a similar appearance not joining or conflicting.

The materials used for road surfacing also strongly affect a town's appearance. In Maldon, efforts have been made when resurfacing roads to use a fine, almost white, aggregate retaining the informal rural feel which would otherwise be destroyed by expanses of smooth black asphalt with crisp sharp edges.

Building Style, Scale and Form

Where _p:rominent buildings worthy of retention exist in a street scape, care must be taken to ensure that redevelopment of their adjacent sites is sympathetically handled, not just in scale but in form and detail also. It should, however, be noted that reproduction of historic building forms is rarely required or desirable, as this tends to detract from the authenticity of the important building. ca-cLUSION Townscape improvement works are a valuable means of upgrading the environment of our towns and cities. However, if new works are to have lasting value rather than being ripped out in future as the "rubbish of the 1980s" their planning and design must commence with an under- . standing of the physical, economic and social character of the town. New. works should enhance the town's strengths and in so doing, provide a further contribution to the town's heritage.

-----·----~------"TONNSCAPE VICTORIA '84 11 SEMINARS

TONNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT AND THE TONN PLANNil'-G PROCESS

Wendy Morris Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment

INTROOUCTION

Many an entry to a Victorian town is graced by a string of petrol stations and a motel or two. This sight has become a symbol of "entering a town", but unfortunately it symbolises "any town" rather than a particular town. Many people ore now beginning to become concerned about this increasing visual similarity between towns, and the consequent loss of identity and unique character. There is now considerable interest in trying to upgrade and manage the appearance of towns.

The appearance of a town, that is, its townscape, is the product of all visible elements (trees, buildings, paving etc) and the way they are arranged; the relationships between them and the spaces created. Town scape improvement should not be confused with civic beautification and landscaping. Whilst it includes these things, it is also much more than that. The town planning process provides the mechanism for ensuring that private development is co-ordinated with public sector improvements.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Al though town.scape had rarely been a conscious consideration of builders in the past, many older towns exhibit a delightful cohesiveness and a highly individual or regional character. Traditionally, town develop ment was strongly influenced by a number of factors such as the limited range of local materials and the traditional building styles and techniques which had evolved to suit the local climate or particular town function. Although Australian towns were generally not as homo geneous as those in Europe because of the cultural diversity of our settlers who each brought and adapted their own skills and traditions to build our early towns, many developed a strong identity associated with the use of local materials, and a consistent scale and style of buildings resulting from the major growth of many towns being concentrated over a short period.

The modern 11 anytown 11 has resulted from changes which have occurred largely since the Second World War, when mass production of building materials b~came widespread. This, combined with the larger scale of components and the low costs of transportation, meant that new buildings and structures could use a wide variety of styles and materials. Design for climate control also became a less significant constraint. The sudden absence of constraints resulted in an upsurge of individuality in expression. However this has occurred at the expense of developing a cohesive townscape as people have not learned to relate the wide choice of available forms and materials to the existing built environ ment. The principle that new development should seek to be in harmony with its surroundings, which had in the past been implicit~ is not yet 16 widely appreciated. An additional factor contributing to the loss of town identity is the increasing use by large companies of standard building designs which are used throughout the country as part of their corporate symbol.

It is evident that to obtain good townscape today requires a planned approach where an end result is, to a certain extent, pre-determined and measures are specifically introdu:ced to achieve that result.

TOWNSCAPE OBJECTIVES

A townscape plan can be drawn up which outlines the detailed product. required. In order to formulate this plan, a clear statement of the objectives of a townscape programme must be identified. These may relate, for example, to:

the creation of a strong and individual identity for the town the improvement of the town's aesthetics and weather protection emphasising a particular role that the townspeople have chosen (eg. a residential commuter or tourist town} development of a sense of community or improving economic viability.

The achievement of these objectives will involve initiatives being taken by the council and the community and will also need to be closely allied to the town planning for the area. This paper concentrates on the re lationship between the development of a townscape programme and town plannirg activities.

THE PLANNING PROCESS

Most towns now have some form of planning control administered by the local ·council. However the extent and manner in which use and development of land is regulated varies widely. Recently a number of councils have been reviewing their controls with a view to upgrading them. This review typically involves the preparation of a non-statutory strategy plan or outline development plan, which would consider such things as the existing pattern and future requirements for development, the availability and cost of reticulated services, location of physical con straints and possibly the identification of areas of environmental or historic significance. Such a concept plan would then develop recommen dations relating to control of future development, and after adoption by Council, these would be translated into controls within the framework of a statutory planning scheme.

Individual planning decisions may strongly influence a town's character. However,at present there is rarely any overall consideration given to the future appearance of the town when proposals are being considered for various forms of development. Recommendations relating to townscape are typically limited to measures for the protection of vegetation, individual historic buildings or sm611 historic areas, or to a general requirement for landscaping around certain types of development such as· factories or motels.

17 The current planning legislation. provides ample opportunity for planning authorities to improve the situation through the incorporation of specific townscape matters into planning controls. (Details are given in a later section). A few examples exist where councils have introduced controls which, on the face of it at least, are adequate to provide for a wide range of townscape considerations. However, these controls have often only been of.limited success because of a lack of awareness of the full potential of the controls, an absence of specific townscape objectives, or a lack of. 9ppropriate design and advisory skills within the local councils involved.

For townscape issues to be dealt with adequately through planning controls it is necessary to determine some form of desired future character for an area and to incorporate this into relevant zone gbjectives and. background reference material. In South Australia, planning controls have generally given a much higher profile to the future visual appearance of land use changes. There, each zone contains as part of its introductory statement d section outlining the desired future character of an area. This statement provides a clear picture of what is intended and new development proposals can be evaluated against it.

To date in Victoria only a limited number of towns have determined their future image and direction, and then to a greater or lesser extent had this expressed in their statutory planning controls. Sunbury, a satellite city close to Melbourne, has chosen to develop a modern urban image, but one which retains special links with its rural environment and country town past through controls which protect such things as views to the hills, buildings of historic or 'rural' character, and controls over traffic flow and parking which minimise the need for evident control mechanisms such as traffic signs and lights, parking meters, pedestrian crossings etc. Maldon is a small town which is re-establishing its nineteenth century character by authentically res toring its historic buildings, and ensuring that all new development is in keeping with the character of that era. Euroa is a town which has chosen to emphasise its 'real country town' attributes, which are important to residents and visitors.

In order to provide for both town planning and townscape requirements it is preferable for a townscape programme to be prepared in conjunction with new local town planning controls. This would allow for the con sideration of the impact of various land use options on the town's appearance and character, and would ensure that all forms of development which may affect townscape through their design or landscaping are subject to planning permit controls and conditions.

STATUTORY POWERS Al'O PRCX:EDURES RELATING TO TOWNSCAPE

Town and Country Planning Act

The Town and Country _Planning Act {1961) is the major piece of legislation relating to development control in cities and towns. It makes provision for planning schemes {and interim development orders) which may prohibi~ regulate or permit the use or development of land for various purposes

18 within defined zones. The matters which may be provided for in schemes ar.e listed in the Third Schedule to the Act. This Schedule is very relevant to the matter of townscape.

Third Schedule

The Third Schedule lists nineteen matters which can be provided for in schemes. Of these, at least nine may relate to a townscape programme. In summary the nine cover:

providing for pedestrian thoroughfares; closing streets or altering traffic access; providing for tree plantations, gardens and structures in streets or roads; prescribing areas in which land may be used for specified purposes, and in what manner, including site coverage and setback requirements; controlling the erection and use of advertising signs; providing for parking; conservation and enhancement of specified items of architectural, historical or scientific interest through controls over their destruction and alteration,and over adjacent land; conservation and enhancement of specified areas of natural beauty or interest by controls over vegetation removal; conservation and enhancement of an area specified as being of special significance, by controls over developemnt and destruction, including controls over the character and appearance of development.

! The last mentioned point is one of the most important and requires further explanation. Known as clause 88, it can provide a planning authority with wide powers. It refers to an "area specified as being of special significance". No criteria are given as to what the term "special significance" may cover; the only requirement being that the area must be defined and specified as such. It is therefore quite in order to specify whole towns or even municipalities under this clause. Specification of an area enables the introduction of a wide range of controls not otherwise permitted,including controls over destruction or alteration .of any building or feature in the area, and controls which require the character and appearance of new development to either be in harmony with adjacent development, or to conform to the former appearance of the area at some specified period. The materials and colours to be used may also be specified. Thus to use any of the powers under this clause, the area must be specified in the statutory planning control and the use of some of the powers will require further specifications. It must be stressed that the act of specifying an area does not in itself introduce any control nor does it serve as an objective for the area. It should be regarded as an administrative step only. Zoning and Reservation

Control over the type of land use permitted in various areas can be a very useful tool in determining the broad townscape. For example, town ship boundaries can be defined by zoning; as can the location of

19 ensuring that developmeht complements chosen roles the town wishes to perform.

If a town's role includes that of tourist town, recreation or holiday centre, it is important to maintain or upgrade the appearance of town entries. The entry view creates visitors' first impressions and naturally these should be as positive as possible. The town entry should emphasise the unique character and the particular.function of the town. For example a historic town maychoose to continue a plant ing theme out from the ce.ntre and ensure that the use and appearance of buildings is in accord with the local historic character. Facili ties such as motels and service stations should wherever possible be located away from the town entries and historic areas. Alternatively, a holiday resort town may wish to promote its accommodation facilities by locating them prominently, but in a manner which emphasises the attractions of the town. In both cases, industrial development should not be in prominent locations.

Should a town choose to fulfil the role of residential dormitory or commuter town, then treatment of town entries {and townscape generally) can go a long way towards creating an appropriate feel. The main commuter entry should be attractive, perhaps using development setbacks and landscaping requirements to assist. Industrial development may be inappropriate, whilst recreational uses such as golf courses may be very suitable.

Town Centres

The commercial centre is usually the heart of a town. Planning can play important roles through control of the location and appearance of new development and of redevelopment of the existing town centre, in a manner which complements a townscape programme.

Many town centres may be threatened by possible establishment of an out-of-town shopping centre. Planning controls can be used to prohibit such development in certain areas and encourage it into suitable areas where it can be linked into the existing centre in a satisfactory manner. Townscape works, in conjunction with zoning, can be used to redirect growth within an existing centre. For example, a landscaped side street may attract shops which otherwise may undesirably locate at the end of a strip development.

Existing centres are usually made up of small to medium size shops, giving the streetscape a harmony of scale. In these areas care must be taken to avoid or minimise the visual intrusion of any new large scale modern commercial development. Such development can either be located behind the centre or be designed with a facade resembling a number of small shops. Controls over the appearance of shopfronts, detailed controls over shopfr~~t setback, orientation, appearance, advertising signs, landscaping and parking requirements can also be imposed. Traditionally the more detailed planning schemes contain standard requirements for setbacks and parking. These should be re viewed in terms of the chosen townscape objectives to ensure that the requirements are still compatible.

22 within defined zones. The matters which may be provided for in schemes ar.e listed in the Third Schedule to the Act. This Schedule is very relevant to the matter of townscape.

Third Schedule

The Third Schedule lists nineteen matters which can be provided for in schemes. Of these, at least nine may relate to a townscape programme. In summary the nine cover:

providing for pedestrian thoroughfares; closing streets or altering traffic access; providing for tree plantations, gardens and structures in streets or roads; prescribing areas in which land may be used for specified purposes, and in what manner, including site coverage and setback requirements; controlling the erection and use of advertising signs; providing for parking; conservation and enhancement of specified items of architectural, historical or scientific interest through controls over their destruction and alteration, and over adjacent land; conservation and enhancement of specified areas of natural beauty or interest by controls over vegetation removal; conservation and enhancement of an area specified as being of special significance, by controls over developemnt and destruction, including controls over the character and appearance of development.

The last mentioned point is one of the most important and requires further explanation. Known as clause 88, it can provide a planning authority with wide powers. It refers to an 11 area specified as being of special significance". No criteria are given as to what the term "special significance" may cover; the only requirement being that the area must be defined and specified as such. It is therefore quite in order to specify whole towns or even municipalities under this clause. Specification of an area enables the introduction of a wide range of controls not otherwise permitted,including controls over destruction or alteration .of any building or feature in the area, and controls which require the character and appearance of new development to either be in harmony with adjacent development, or to conform to the former appearance of the area at some specified period. The materials and colours to be used may also be specified. Thus to use any of the powers under this clause, the area must be specified in the statutory planning control and the use of some of the powers will require further specifications. It must be stressed that the act of specifying an area does not in itself introduce any control nor does it serve as an objective for the area. It should be regarded as an administrative step only ..

Zoning and Reservation

19 industrial areas, corrmercial areas, etc. whilst areas for future public open space can be indicated through proposed reservations. Zoning can also be used to specifically indicate a number of townscape require ments, through the zone objectives eg. a "Historic Commercial Zone" is likely to have objectives relating to the maintenance and enhancement of a commercial area in an appropriate historic context. The detailed requirements in such a zone may ref er to such things as the character of new buildings, parking, landscaping and advertising.·

Planning Permits

Under the zone provisions various forms of development are listed as subject to consent or in practice, requiring a planning permit. This requirement for a permit enables a council to not only decide whether a development proposal is appropriate in land use terms, but also enables some control over its appearance. All planning permits may be granted with or without conditions. These conditions may relate to a wide variety of matters and may include setback, landscaping, building character and materials, pedestrian access, and advertising requirements.

Agreements with Owners

The Town and Country Planning Act was recently amended to provide for the making of agreements{under Section 52A, 528 and 52C) as part of the development approval process. Agreements may be made in conjunction with amendments or with planning permits. In practical terms, agreements may be found to be of most value in that they can be applied to cover matters not normally possible under planning permit conditions. Agree ments powers provide for a legal contract and are an extension of the traditional restrictive covenants powers. The agreement is endorsed on the land title, runs with the land and·power~ of enforcement are as for restrictive covenants. Agreements· howev_er do not need to be res trictive and do not need to benefit the land of the Responsible Authority.

Agreements may provide for the following matters:

controls over the use or development of land conditions under which land may be used or de,veloped for specified purposes any matter intended to advance or achieve an objective specified in o statutorr planning control.

This latter point is important with respect to using agreements to further townscape improvement. It again stresses the need to have explicit objectives relating to townscape within the planning scheme.

Local Government Act - Shopping Malls and Road Closures

Changes have recently been made to the Local Government Act which pro vide councils with direct responsibility for road closures and shopping malls. The approval.of the Minister for Local Government is no longer required. The approval of the R.C.A. is required before a mall pro posal is prepared which affects any roads under their responsibility. The creation of shopping malls is dealt with in Section 5398,under

20 which a council is ~equired to prepare a mall proposal containing details of the area proposed to become a mall, the points at which vehicle entry is prevented, the times during which vehicles would not be permitted to enter the mall, details of financing, the addresses of properties abutting the mall, and a list of names and addresses of all property owners directly affected by the mall. The proposal must then be placed on exhibition and advertised. Objections may be submitted, and these together with a report on the proposal obtained from the Ministry for Planning and Environment are considered by council, which can then adopt a final proposal. Road closures are dealt with under section 539C. The procedure is similar but a report must be obtained from the Road Traffic Authority instead of the Ministry for Planning and Environment.

If· a mall or road closure is proposed, there is a need to ensure there is no impediment under the planning scheme. For example, if a road is designated as a main road, then a rezoning may be required to either include the road in an adjacent commercial zone, or designate it as a proposed pedestrian thoroughfare. Under certain circumstances a mall may require a planning permit under Section 25 of the Town and Country Planning Act. Where a planning scheme amendment or planning permit is required, certain steps under S.5398 can be omitted.

EXAMPLES OF TOWNSCAPE AND PLANNit--(; INTERACTION

Town shape and boundaries

The location of a town, for example in a valley, by a lake or with a hillside backdrop can be an important determinant of the overall 'feel' of a place. In order to maintain the town character it may be appro priate that development be contained within certain natural boundaries. Thus a valley town may wish to prohibit urban development spreading up onto the plains above, whilst a town with an attractive hillside backdrop may wish to keep this area largely clear of development. The zoning of land will be critical in achieving this sort of objective.

Where a town is clearly visible from an important scenic viewpoint consideration of town shape may sometimes be important. Awkward strips or isolated pockets of development may detract from an otherwise harmonious appearance.

Town entries

Where town entries are important, emphasis should generally on

clearly defining the point at which the town begins (eg. by a sign; use of natural feature~ such as a dip or creek, or by avenue planting), and ensure that urban development does not occur outside this point.

emphasising the individual or unique characteristics of a . town rather than the anonymity of "any town" associated with, for example, franchise architecture or modern industrial development.

21 ensuring that development complements chosen roles the town wishes to perform.

If a town's role includes that of tourist town, recreation or holiday centre, it is important to maintain or upgrade the appearance of town entries. The entry view creates visitors' first impressions and naturally these should be as positive as possible. The town entry should emphasise the unique character and the particular function of the town. For example a historic town maychoose to continue a plant ing theme out from the c~ntre and ensure that the use and appearance of buildings is in accord with the local historic character. Facili ties such as motels and service stations should wherever possible be located away from the town entries and historic areas. Alternatively, a holiday resort town may wish to promote its accommodation facilities by locating them prominently, but in a manner which emphasises the attractions of the town. In both cases, industrial development should not be in prominent locations.

Should a town choose to fulfil the role of residential dormitory or commuter town, then treatment of town entries (and townscape generally) can go a long way towards creating an appropriate feel. The main commuter entry should be attractive, perhaps using development setbacks and landscaping requirements to assist. Industrial development may be inappropriate, whilst recreational uses such as golf courses may be very suitable.

Town Centres The commercial centre is usually the heart of a town. Planning can play important roles through control of the location and appearance of new development and of redevelopment of the existing town centre, in a manner which complements a townscape programme.

Existing centres are usually mode up of small to medium size shops, giving the streetscape a harmony of scale. In these areas care must be taken to avoid or minimise the visual intrusion of any new large scale modern commercial development. Such development can either be located behind the centre or be designed with a facade resembling a number of small shops. Controls over the appearance of shopfronts, detailed controls over shopfr~nt setback, orientation, appearance, advertising signs, landscaping and parking requirements can also be imposed. Traditionally the more detailed planning schemes contain standard requirements for setbacks and parking. These should be re viewed in terms of the chosen townscape objectives to ensure that the requirements are still compatible.

22 Advertising Signs

Planning controls may impose detailed requirements relating to advert ising signs. Existing controls typically comprise measures which limit the size, number, location and internal lighting of such signs, but do not provide positive direction on what sort of signs are particularly appropriate for the town. Signs are an important component of the character of most of our commercial centres, and their control should be creative and contribute to the.desired character. For example, in Alexandra the clutter of modern, bright signs and the liberal use.of footpath sandwich boards all contribute to the vitality and feeling of viability of the town. In Beechworth restoration of nineteenth century style signs on panels provided as part of the building design help contribute to the historic flavour of that town.

Franchise Architecture

11 Councils may feel somewhat daunted by an application from a major 11 chain establishment to erect a standard building and signs, where it is felt· that the business is to be encouraged but the physical form is not desired. There may be fear that any suggestion to make alteration from the standard is either not possible or will be seen by the 1 chain 1 as discouragement. In discussions with a number of Pchain~ operators each has indicated a willingness to co-operate with council's desires in terms of building form and decoration, however they do stress the need·.·· to display their standard logo (eg. the M of McDonalds, the rooster of· Red Rooster, or the red star of Caltex). There are now several examples around the state where 1 chain 1 operators have been very constructive in making a strong contribution to local character. In Ballarat, a historic building complex has been restored to contain a McDonalds; in Dimboola and Ballarat Tuckerbag stores are painted with minimal use of the standard blue and red colours; in Malden, a Caltex service station is painted in "Victorian era 11 colours, and has even dispensed with the red star. Some of these actions occurred relying on strict planning controls but others were done solely by negotiation.

OTHER ITEMS TO NOTE

Check planning permit coverage of existing controls

A frequent problem encountered by councils moving into townscape improve .ment is that their existing planning controls often provide 'as of right' for the principal use or development in the zone (eg. 1 shop 1 in a commer cial zone). Because no planning permit is required, council has no opportunity to influence the form, location or other aspects of new development. It is important to review existing controls in this light.

Avoid the use of inadequate planning permit conditions As the awareness of visual and environmental· issues has increased many councils now impose conditions on new development, particularly in re lation to landscaping of commercial, industrial or tourist development. However the wording of the conditions is frequently found to be of the following form: 11 The site shall be landscaped" or 11 A landscape plan shall be submitted to the satisfaction of the responsible authority". It is a forlorn hope that good townscape will result from the cumulative effect of vague conditions such as these. In the second example, the plan is required but the actual landscaping is not, because of the poor wording. ·In the first example adjacent developments may respond diffeiently and produce for example a Mexican cactus garden next to a native shrub and rock garden, next to a formal suburban lawn. Guidelines are required on the type of landscaping which would be appropriate to the general area. Some of the most inappropriate landscaping seems to occui around service stations, which because of a landscaping permit condition·are forced to provide decorative miniature gardens around their boundaries.

Architectural advice and other-support mechanisms

.Many council planning departments do not have the necessary skills to handle design, siting and landscaping issues. There are several ways of ~roviding suppo[t. In a number of historic towns the State Government ih 1 conjunction with locar councils has appointed a Heritage Advisor, who provides technical advice on specific applications as required. Other councils·h~ve·a staff architect available to provide advice on planning applications. Publication of policies, codes and guidelines is also valuable.

Opportunities for negotiation should not be missed

·Even in the absence of adequate planning controls, much good townscape can be created through negotiation. Often developers do not have a strong commitment to a submitted proposal, and many are willing to discuss design, siting and landscaping alternatives with a council, particularly if some incentive or improved performance can be found in a revised proposal. Another area in which negotiation is important is when govern ment authorities are undertaking buildings and works under the "shield of the crown" where no permits are required, but a directive from the Premier requires consultation with the council.

Re-use of vacant private land behind shops

In many commercial centres there is vacant or underused private land behind shops. This land may be useful for off-street parking or future shops. Although it is often felt that the land is 'locked up', there are in fact a series of techniques available which may enable release of this land. These include zoning and reservation, urban renewal, and inappropriate subdivision restructure techniques.

CONCLUSION

The aforementioned examples highlight the diversity of forms of inter action between townscape improvement and the town planning process. They also seek to reinforce a point made early in this paper - that i~ to get good townscape from the planning:·sysiem,it is firstly necessary to have a clear idea of the f~ture character desired for a town or suburb.; and secondly to have this direction expressed in the objectives and controls of the planning scheme. Unfortunately in the modern world, good townscape does not occur by chance.

24 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA 184 11 SEMINARS

EXPERIEl'CE OF THE GOLD REEF MALL, STAWELL

Alan Howells Town Engineer Town of Stowell

HISTORICAL BACKGROUl'D

Like many other country towns, Stowell owes its origins to the gold rush days of the 1850s. The first gold was discovered in 1854 and the township of Pleasant Creek was subsequently surveyed and laid out in the area now known as Stowell West.

A few years later as the supply of alluvial gold from the creek began to run out, new strikes were made on the quartz reefs of Big Hill about 2~ kilometres north of the then township. Many of the miners moved their activities to.the new field and shops began to spring up along the edges.of the bullock track that wound its way up to Big Hill. So the commercial centre of modern-day Stowell was born without assistance of survey or design; the result being a winding, undulating Main Street that was unique in character but extremely hazardous to modern day traffic.

FIRST MOVES TONARDS A MALL

The first suggestions that Main Street should be converted to a pedestrian mall were made in 1961 bµt it was not until 1969 that the Council of the day, faced with the need to upgrade the whole of the street, began to seriously consider the proposal.

It was obvious that with a traffic flow of some 6000 v.p.d., a narrow carriageway further reduced by angle parking on both sides of the street, and deep old-style pitcher gutters, that action was needed to improve the traffic flow. Some years previously Council had tackled this problem by introducing parallel parking, but there was such an adverse reaction from both ratepayers and traders that the Traffic Commission gave approval to revert to angle parking. In addition, the road and footpath surfaces were in such a condition that reconstruction was obviously going to be required in the not very distant future.

So, in 1970,after consultation with the Town and Country Planning Board, two public meetings were held to discuss the project, at which slides were shown of overseas malls, and various speakers including Mr Hans Hein (then Deputy Chairman of the Town and Country Planning Board), and Mr Ross McKenzie (at that time City Engineer, Carnberwell) who had recently returned from an overseas study tour as the L.G.E.A. endowee, explained the principles of Shopping Malls. Alternative means of improving Main Street were also discussed.

25 Students from the local Technical School undertook a survey of shoppers over a short period and the reaction from this and the public meetings while not unanimously in favour, was sufficient to encourage Council to continue with the Mall project.

At that time the only provision for closing a street to create a Pedestrian Mall was under the Town arid Country Planning Act. (An amendment to the Local Government Act has subsequently made it possible to do so under that Act). Accordingly, Amendment No. l to the Town of Stowell Planning Scheme was put on exhibition in August 1970. Several business people were opposed to the Mall, in the belief that the removal of traffic from Main Street would cause loss of business, so they employed a person to door-knock the Town to obtain as many objections as possible. Some 467 of these stereotype. objections were received. In all, 510 objections were received, mainly based on the belief that there would be a large increase in rates to pay for the Mall. However, when the opportunity was given to all objectors to discuss their concerns with Council, only ·84 did so. A special hearing was arranged for the objecting business people, at which they were represented by a ~~lbourne solicitor.

After hearing the objections Council still .believed that the proposal was the best way to overcome the problems associated with the shopping centre, and accordingly Amendment No. 1 was forwarded to the Minister for approval, without modification.

After considerable delay, the scheme finally received Ministerial approval in November 1972. In April of the following year the Town Engineer undertook a 10-week overseas study tour of Shopping Molls in U.S.A., United Kingdom and Europe and on his return, detailed planning of the project was commenced. WHY A MALL?

Council's decision to create a shopping mall was based on the following objectives:

To preserve the unique character and historical features of Main Street - it was believed that all the disadvantages of the present alignment would be of great benefit in the creation of the Mall.

To remove the existing potentially dangerous situation posed by a narrow, congested traffic way.

To.provide a pleasant traffic-free precinct where shopping would become a pleasure rather than a chore.

To. improve shopping conditions for locals and to attract tourists.

To attract shoppers from as wide a region as possible.

26 To prevent the commercial centre of Stowell from being completely choked by increasing traffic flow.

WORKS PRECEDlf'.G THE MALL CONSTRUCTION

Obvio~sly, before Main Street could be physically closed there were many other aspects to receive consideration. The main requirements were:

to provide adequate alternative routes for traffic

to provide satisfactory off-street parking as close to the shopping centre as possible.

to provide sufficient easy points of access from parking areas to Mall.

to provide access to the rear of shop premises, wherever possible, to allow for deliveries etc.

to renew or relocate any old underground or overhead services existing in the street.

For financial reasons this work had to be carried out in stages and in 1973 work was commenced on these aspects.

Two alternative routes, one on each side of Main Street, were completely reconstructed, involving underground drainage, kerb and channel, footpath, nature strip, pavement and sealing ..These are Scallan-Byrne Street on the west and Sloane Street on the east of Main Street.

To provide for improved traffic flow at the northern end of Main Street at its junction with Patrick and Layzell Streets, land was acquired from two properties and the junction realigned and reconstructed.

In regard to land acquisition for off-street parking Council adopted the policy of requesting business-people to give: unused areas of land to Council for development at no cost to owners, and purchasing land where large areas were involved, or it was owned by other than business-people. This policy was based on the premise that the provision of off-street parking is of greatest benefit to the business people, and a considerable degree of co-operation was received.

Four main off-street free parking areas have been constructed - Scallan Street (120 vehicles), Sloane Street (56), Bayliss Street (105) and Church Street (16) making a total of 297 bays. This compares with 82 spaces which were lost with the closure of the Main Street. Council has also purchased the two houses at the northern end of the Scallan Street carpark for future extension of this area. Until the land is required for parking the properties are being leased for off ice accommo dation.Some other areas have been designated for further parking and these will be developed as the demand warrants. In addition, one privately owned area is being used for parking and caters for approximately 80 vehicles.

Parking areas have been sited so as to make best use of existing points of access to Main Street. Apart from the streets at each end of the

27 ------

'bU:. -~==--i scale of metres private car

parking

LANE CJ \ w··=~ -ci~ ----

elder smith

WIMMErlA STnEET ----, STAWELL TOWN CENTRE ······ ----1 Amended to 28-6-62

28 Mall (Victoria Place and Wimmera Street), access also exists at Star Lane and Skene Street. In addition Council has purchased two strips of unoccupied land and one shop to provide extra points of access and several business people have provided access through their premises. The shop purchased by Council was reduced in width and length to provide an access way and public toilets. All shops in Main Street were already provided with rear access, except for the north eastern block between Patrick and Skene Streets, and owners within this block gave land to Council to enable a rear access road to be constructed.

In regard to relocation of services, the only facility affected was water. (Sewerage is provided from the rear of the properties on both sides of the street and therefore did not need any alteration). The. western side of the street is served by a water main in Church Street behind the shops, while the eastern side was serviced by an 80 year old 225mm main in Main Street itself. This old water line has been replaced by a 300 mm main laid at the rear of the shops. Thus all premises are served from the r~ar and there will be no necessity to break up any of the concrete paving of the Mall at any time in the future to carry out maintenance works. Power is supplied by under verandah wiring and did not require alteration.

All of the works mentioned above cost approximately $315,000 (of which Council contributed $219,000). All of these projects were desirable and would have been required at some time in the future, but the advent of the Mall hastened the need for these works to be carried out. ,:

DESIGN OF THE MALL

The Mall is 220 metres in length extending from Wimmera Street to Victoria Place and is 20 metres in width except where it widens out slightly at the Wimmera Street end.

'Underground drainage has been provided by two rows of 300mm pipes laid along the length of the street - one each side, under the old pitcher kerbs and channels. These channels hove been replaced by concrete dished inverts and the old bitumen roadway has been altered to a concrete surface graded from a crown to grated inlets placed at approximately 15 metre centres in the new drains. ·

Underground services, such as lighting and power cables, automatic watering system. facilities and a spare duct for any future services that may be required, are laid in the centre of the street and covered with red clay tiles which allow easy access to the services and at the same time provide a visual relief from the concrete pavement. For this reason strips of the same tiles have been placed transversely across the street at 15 metre intervals.

Lighting is provided by twin 125 Wmercury vapour lamps in 450mm opal spheres placed at 15 metre centres and carried on square section steel posts 2.4 metres high.

29 The main feature in the mall is a fountain constructed from local Grampians sandstone, which commemorates the centenary of the Stowell Gift.

Other items provided include flower boxes, seats, a children's play ground, rubbish containers, a podium for use by bands and various displays (such as mannequin parades etc) and a glassed-in shelter where shoppers can rest and watch the "passing parade" on cold days. This shelter is also made available to the various district ladies' organisations for their regular stalls and contains space for display of tourist information and for advertising community functions. Trees, shrubs and flowers have been planted and planter boxes have been used so that tubbed flowers can be moved out. and in as necessary. The aim was to use as much local material as possible, such as Grampians sandstone, timber, locally made bricks and tiles etc. and the "locally made" theme was carried further by the fact that except for one Melbourne contractor, all the work was carried out by Council's day labour force and local contractors. PEOPLE SPACES

One of the purposes of a pedestrian mall is to provide a "people space" and since its official opening by the Premier of Victoria, the Hon. R .J Homer ED., M.P. on Wednesday 8th November 1978 the Gold Reef Mall has been well used for this purpose.

The Stowell Chamber of Commerce and the Town Council co-operated to provide entertainment in the Mall, following the official opening. On that evening the crowd was entertained by Melbourne and Bollarat T.V. personalities, while on the Thursday there was a sportsmans day when well known sporting personalities were present. In conjunction with this there was a tug-of-war involving local service clubs, a pie-eating competition, a handball competition and a display of hot rods. Friday saw bands in the Mall, whilst· on.Saturday the Chamber of Commerce organised a shop-hopping auction when about $50,000 worth of goods were snapped up by bargain hunters. As a climax to the week all the churches in the town joined together to stage a very successful interdenominational service in the Mall.

Other functions which have been helq i.n the Mall include Galo Days in co-operation with a district radio station, entertainmen1s arranged by the local Arts Council, breakfasts, barbecues and dances, art shows, tourist information displays from other towns, Christmas Carols etc. The possibilities for various types of entertainment and promotions are many and varied.

All such activities are controlled by the issue of permits from the Engineer's office. There is no charge made for the permit, but the system enables Council to control activities in the Mall and avoids the chance of two organisations clashing on the same day. The only costs associated with the use of the Mall are for the hire of the kiosk and the podium, at a cost of $2.00 each, including use of powor.

30 COST OF THE MALL An approximate break-down of costs of the Gold Reef Mall are set out below:-

Fountain $ 31,000 Flagpoles 500 Flower boxes and seats 12,500 Flowers and trees 3,500 Other furniture 2,700 Kiosk 7,400 Paving and underground drains 112,000 Playground 6,000 Podium 2,500 Underground services 4,000 Electrical works 10,000 Watering system {automatic) 4,500 Miscellaneous (administration charges, freight etc) 8, 700

$ 205,800

The funds were obtained from the following sources:-

Part proceed from sale of Electrical Undertaking $ 80,000

Grants Commission funds 70,000 Ministry of Tourism 10,000 (grant for fountain) Unemployment Relief Scheme 45,800

$ 205,800

31 REACTION TO THE MALL

On the day on which. Main Street was closed to traffic and work commenced on construction of the Mall, several traders organised a protest march, following which they called a public meeting to put their point of view regarding the Mall. However, when it became clear at the meeting that the majority of the community favoured the Mall, the traders concerned dropped their opposition and agreed to work with Council to make the project a success.

During the construction phase a close liaison was maintained by regular meetings between Council officers and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce so that any problems caused for the business people could be dealt with immediately. Fortunately these were very few and an excellent relationship was maintained throughout the eight months of construction.

Several. people living on surrounding farms in the area stated that they would no longer shop in Stowell as they would not be able to park in front of the shops they wished to visit, and initially some shops did claim some fall-off in business. However when these people realised that parking was so much more plentiful and convenient than before many of them returned.

Discussion with the business people has shown that while there was initial decline in business, this has turned around and business is now "quite satisfactory". It is difficult to know whether this initial down-turn was a reaction to change or whether it was a result of the economic climate at that time, particularly, as the opening of the Mall coincided with the close-down of one of the Town's largest employers, Stowell Timber Industries.

One businessman who was initially opposed to the Mall and who has just sold his business in the Gold Reef Mall, has made some comments on the project and with his permission, parts of his letter are quoted below:-

"Having enjoyed very real benefits from working in an excellent environment, listening to many unsolicited comments regarding the concept, and watching the viability of my business practically double in the past two or three years, I thought that you might be interested to read my comments.

Already very substantial increases in real estate values in the Mall area coupled with realistic rental increases, (with the demand for premises exceeding supply), would indicate that the expense has been fully covered.

There was an initial adverse reaction to change of shopping habits with some shopping "out of town", however the very substantial increase in tourist trade has outweighed any loss in this direction and certainly has ensured tourism is here to stay. Additionally it has been noticed that many of the shoppers who moved away are very hqppy to be shopping back in Stowell.

32 Having disposed of my business interests in the Mall I can assure you that, providing retailers take advantage of the opportunities presented, there is more business to be obtained in Stowell than in country towns of nearly twice the population." Generally speaking, the people of Stowell have reacted very favourably to the Mall and over the past 5~ years it has become an accepted part of life. The reaction has been particularly positive from elderly people who can take their time crossing from one side of the mall to the other without any threat to life and limb, and from young mothers who can leave their children to play in safety on the playground while they do their shopping.

33 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA 1 8411 SEMINARS

PORT FAIRY - THE TONNSCAPE

IMPROVEMENT PROCESS IN A HISTORIC TOWN

Cr. Russell Clark Chairman of Port Fairy Heritage Advisory Cornnittee Borough of Port Fairy & Craig Wilson former Port Fairy Heritage Adviser Heritage Unit Ministry for Planning and Environment & Simon Banfield Planning Officer South-Western Regional Office (Warrnambool) Ministry for Planning and Environment

INTROOUCT ION

The townscape improvement programs in Victoria's historically significant towns have been rather different from the townscape improvement process now occurring in many Victorian country towns. Certain aspects of the heritage program experience are, howeve~very relevant to other townscape improvement programs.

The heritage programs have initially focussed on restoration of historic buildings and structures, and sympathetic design of new inf ill development. As a program becomes established in a town, intere~t develops in other townscape components such os streetscapes and open spaces. Successful treatment of these areas requires a full understanding of the objectives of the heritage program.

The implementation of heritage programs represents a long term commitment, often with State or Federal Government support,to funding a heritage advisory service, which usually comprises a person engaged on a regular basis as a heritage adviser and a restoration fund. Although the improvements occur gradually over a considerable period of time, they do result in increased levels of community pride, as well as stimulating business and tourist activity. Major heritage programs are now operating in thirteen of Victoria's towns and cities.

This paper outlines the heritage program in Port Fairy, covering in particular the role of the heritage adviser, and shows how that role is now expanding to encompass broader townscape issues. Finally some brief comments are made on a recent townscape study exercise undertaken for Port Fairy which was done with an inadequate understanding of either the historic value of the town or its community's aspirations.

34 A BRIEF HISTORY OF PORT FAIRY Port Fairy is a small coastal town named by Captain Wishart who soiled 11 11 up the Moyne River around 1810 in his cutter Fairy • For o time it was renamed Belfast but then reverted to Port Fairy. It hos a present population of approximately 2,600 people, a figure which has remained fairly stable over the last hundred years. In the early days the town was o thriving port. A large tonnage of agricultural produce passed through the port, and in the 1850's when gold was discovered at Ararat most of the supplies also come thr9ugh Port Fairy. The last steamer come in to port and berthed at what was known as the Casino Wharf in the mid 1930's. While a strong fishing fleet has always been associated with Port Fairy, its character has changed dramatically in recent years. Now fewer but larger boats characterise this important Port Fairy industry. Port Fairy has a large resource of pre-gold rush buildings with the earliest remaining building dating from 1842. Many of the large blue-stone buildings established along the riverside remain today as do a number of substantial buildings in the commercial centre. The residential areas are characterised by o significant number of small stone cottages. STEPS TOWARDS A HERITAGE PR

35 Early cottages in Port Fairy

Moyne River, Port Fairy

36 putting options to the community for economically re-using historic buildings end thereby maintaining the resource that they represent. While theod~iser is normally on architect this need not be so. The adviser usually spends one or two days a fortnight in the town, providing a free service to the community. The adviser has a number of responsibilities. Firstly, he or she is involved with advice to the Ministry, in particular the Historic Buildings Council, in relation to buildings which are on the Historic Buil~ngs Register. The adviser has to assess permit applications for alterations to these buildings and provide advice to the Heritage Unit which then services the Historic Buildings Council. Secondly the adviser is the contact point for the public (end provides advice to the Heritage Advisory Committee) on matters relating to the management of the historic resources of the town. Under this category comes such things as building restoration, design of new inf ill buildings or advice on new subdivisions. It also involves looking at alternatives to avoid loss of fabric or demolition of buildings. The adviser can provide anything from sketch plans to detailed drawings. That is not to soy that the adviser usurps the role of local consultants, architects or engineers. Rather it has been found that the adviser generates more work for the local professionals by starting projects end stimulating ideas. Thirdly, the adviser is involved with a number of wider issues which, in the case of Port Fairy, were not really anticipated when the Service was set up. These include the type of townscape issues which ore being widely addressed now, such cs street planning, rationalisation of town layout, relationship of streets to public open space and existing buildings, problems of the rears of buildings, car parking, and street furniture. These issues are always discussed with the Heritage Advisory Committee and, being a committee to Council, this generates discussion within the community via members of the Committee and Council. The other major role of the adviser is to advise the Heritage Advisory Committee on spending the restoration fund. In each of the towns where a Heritage Advisory Service operates there is a fund provided to assist restoration of the streetscope. ihat money comes from one of two sources, either the Notional Estate Program or the Ministry for Planning and Environment's Urben Streetscope Program. In Port Fairy the fund is totally Notional Estate money end this has resulted in a good deal of devolution of responsibility to the local level. Restoration fund money con be mode available as loans or grants. There is a policy to generally make the money available as loans, which gets the money back into the fund and reallocated to other projects at a later stage. Nevertheless each year the fund is topped up with additional funds which increase its capacity to deal with the problems of the town.

Port Fairy started with o grant of $8,000; it now has approximately $23,000 in the fund. It is anticipated that a further commitment will occur over a number of years to get the fund up to a level where the returns from repaid loans and interest from unlent money will make it self-supporting.

37 The adviser, in looking at where the money should be spent, is first of all addressing problems relating to maintenance of historic buildings - problems of water entry, settlement, rising damp, redecorating buildings, painting and analysis of paint scrapes to determine the original colour scheme of the building. The general philosophy in Port Fairy is not to restore Port Fairy to any particular date but rather to look at enhancing and restoring the original design for each building.

Publicity of the Heritage Advisory Service is another role of the adviser.

EXAMPLES OF HERITAGE IOVISORY· SERVICE PIDJECTS

One of the most successful restoration projects in Port Fairy involves a building known as the Mechanics Institute. Under 1;1sed, it had fallen in to disrepair. When Council required a building for its library, it successfully applied for funds under a State Government scheme for the restoration of halls. It was largely due to the involvement of the Heritage Advisory Service that the restoration was completed so satisfactorily.

Another successful project involved the Caledonion Hotel. The main building dates from 1844 and there are still some stone walls remaining from the old stables. The proposal involved locating a motel at the rear of the hotel, and the challenge was to design that motel so as not to detract from the single storey, small scale village character of Port Fairy. In addition it was important to retain the historic evidence of the original site layout, which included the stables stone wall.

The old stables were replaced by a new brick building which now functions as two motel units. The design reflects the original character of the old stables; the old s'tone wall was retained and the new building went over and around it. This maintained not only an important historical link with the development of the town but also the picturesque character of the town.

The new motel includes several buildings all of which are of cottage scale. The original Coledonian Inn has been repainted in an earlier rather than its original colour scheme due to the latter's complexity. The only modern e.iement . is an illuminated QJB sign, felt to be necessary, initially at least, given the high profile of three other hotels ,in the street.

The third example is the Douglas-On-River Motel which was recently built in front of a 1960-style motel located near the river. There was a dilerrma as to whether or not a building should have been permitted on the site because it reduced the view of the river. Against that, the style of the old motel did not contribute to the historic character of. the town •. The compromise was that a new building was constructed with its design based " directly on the architectural character of surviving buildings of the 1840s period. At first glance it may be mistaken for on old building.

Although this motel is considered by many to be the most successful new building in Port Fairr, it raises a question as to whether new buildings should be constructed to appear like old buildings. Perhaps there should

38 Restored Mechanics Institute building, Port Fairy

New Douglas-on-River Motel, Port Fairy

39 be more exploration of modern building designs which could fit in well with the town. In the town of Malden this has occurred to a large extent. However in Port Fairy one of the problems is that there is a limited range of materials which are acceptable in the town. Brick is not used in the town, as it is uneconomic because of the distance it has to be brought. Most masonr'y buildings are either constructed of concrete block or Mount Gambier stone and rendered. Timber also is a traditional material.

TOWNSCAPE IMPLICATIONS OF LAND USE ISSUES

The heritage program in Port Fairy has concentrated on the restoration of historic buildings and the design of new infill buildings. However, other land use and development issues are increasingly being recognised as relevant to the overall quality of the townscape and need to be addressed within the context of the heritage program. Three issues dealt with recently include the use of ex-railway land, development control along the Moyne River, and the appearance of the town's entrances.

The railway land backs onto the commercial area and provides a link to the wharf and across the Moyne River. Since the railway lines were removed four years ago, there have been three proposals for the use of the land: a trucking depot, residential development or public open space. The public open space proposal is now seen as the pref erred option because of the contribution it makes to the historic townscape. It is an important link between the commercial area, the River and the rural inland and backs onto the rear views of historic buildings. It is intended to use this site for pedestrian access, festivals and restoration of historic railway buildings.

The next issue relates to the extent and type of urban, particularly residential,development that should be permitted along the ~yne River. Historically urban form along the river hos comprised large mills and other similar buildings built fairly close to the river. They.appear as solid rectangular boxes of consistent scale and design. Although some of these buildings have disappeared, many significant ones still remain. The Port Fairy community is very concerned about intrusive buildings blocking out these remaining buildings and destroying the important visual 11 11 character of the river. One such building, the Totra , was erected about ten years ago, and was built to resemble the many-peaked Tatro Mountain in Bohemia. The Council intends to handle the issue of appropriate development along the river by introducing a new planning scheme which will have provisions for controlling the design and location of new buildings in this area.

The other issue is the appearance of the town entrance. Traditionally this has been used to advertise comm~rcial and civic activities in the Ii town. Its cluttered nature hos been subject to criticism from locals and visi fors. As the signs were erected without the necessary planning approvals, Council has now requested that all signs be removed, and contravention notices hove recently been issued under the Town and Country Planning Act. As the. information displayed is important to the tourist market, the Council intends erecting a wayside stop with a common notice board for their display.

40 TOWNSCAPE STUDY OF PORT FAIRY

Recognising that issues such as those Cited in the previous section are important to the continued success of a heritage progran, some historic towns have commissioned or encouraged the .preparation of townscape plans or studies. In Port Fairy such a study was recently prepared by a Master of Landscape Architecture student. This study comprised an overall concept plan for the town as well as detailed plans for four principal civic areas. Unfortunately there were a number of problems with this study which have severely limited its value to the town. These problems are not isolated to the Port Fairy townscape study, but are seen all too frequently in other such studies and works in historically significant towns. The problems can ~sually be traced to: a strong desire to make change and considerable impact through grandiose "improvement" works; minimal understanding of the character and historic significance of the town, and of heritage program objectives; a lack of consultation with the local community and other groups involved with the. town. As an example, the Port Fairy study contained a proposed design for · Sackville Street, the town's main commercial. centre (where restoration· work had already upgraded the substantially intact facades). The design objectives stated broadly that it was .intended to create pedestrian precincts, revitalise the street and give it character. The study prefaced its design proposal with the following comment: "Port Fairy is suffering from 'Cultural Monotony' (too English orientated) and a certain degree of exotic input such as Continental, South American and Asian eating places or similar to a Lygon Street Carlton environment, might inject life into the area".

This type of interpretation is jtist not relevant to a town like Port Fairy. Further problems occurred with the design details, many of which were inappropriate, being based on the above. In addition the introduction of closely spaced Norfolk Island pines was proposed without regard to the effect it would have on the visibility and inter-relationship of the buildings. These problems were highlighted when the plans were put on public exhibition. This study has only been used as a discussion document by Council and has not been implemented.

It is recognised that the above problems can arise in townscape studies for any.town. However, they are much more evident in historically significant towns.

41 CONCLUSION

It is essential that a very special approach to townscape improvement is taken in a historical town to ensure that the character of the town is preserved. A conservation study is needed before a townscape plan.is prepared. A heritage adviser is essential, and this expertise needs to be available consistently over a long period of time. In addition incentives such as a restoration fund and restoration competitions must be available. There are o variety of things a council can do to offer incentives to people to restore their buildings. The most important measure of the success of a program is the level of local community co-operation. In Port Fairy, as in many historic towns, the heritage program has a very strong link to the town's economic development through tourism. The Borough of Port Fairy Council recognises this and feels that:. investment · in heritage improvements can be considered in much the same terms as the more usual municipal incentives such as those given to attract new. industry or commercial development to· a town. Finally, it is important to stress that looking after the heritage of a town does not mean that the town becomes·a museum. Rather it involves managing change in the town with special reference to the important historical messages which the town can give us. A town like Port Fairy in common with a number of other towns tells us a· great deal about the very early settlement. of this State. Indeed it is probably the town which tells us· the most about coastal port towns in the early l850's as a large number of. buildings still survive. Although it is nothing like the original town - a majority of the town's buildings of 1849 and before have gone - we· can still go to Port Fairy and feel in touch with that time.

Acknowledgement The photographs in this paper were taken by Shannon McBride.

42 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA'84" SEMINARS

DIMBOOLA - GETT!~ READY FOR LIFE AFTER THE BYPASS

Jenny Goddard Advisory Services Section Ministry for Planning and Environment

CHARACTER

Dimboola - the .name is probably well-known to you even if the town is not. Portrayed as the classic country town you might consider it as the one community that had a clear sense of its character. H..owever, we often see ourselves rather differently from· the way others see us!

Dimboola lies on the Western Highway half way between Melbourne and Ade \1'.aide. Par.t of the Wimmera, it is in the centre of Victoria.' s wheat growing region. The surrounding flat landscape is known for its red dust storms, and wheat· silos. TradiiioooHy,Dimboola has associated itself with the Little Desert National Park but a more appealing and evident natural feature is the Wimmera River. Originally the town was known as 'Nine Creeks' after the many branches of the Wimmera River that occur there.

Unlike many towns disseded by-main highways, Dimbool9 1 s commercial area is largely contained within one compact block. Clearly defined and anchored at either end by two distinctive buildings, the Dimboola Hotel and the Post Office, a feature of the street is its homogeneous nature. Wide posted verandahs and recessed doorways set up a pleasing rhythm for the pedestrian. Glazed tile work and neatly detailed paving add to the pedestrian's sense of place. Since a. period of prosperity in the 1920s and 30s when a building boom produced some notable structures - the Dimboola Hotel among them - little has changed.

With a total population of around 1700 people, Dimboola has a quiet,relaxed at~osphere tbat not even the.semi-trailers travelling. through the middle of the shopping area can someroow disturb. Business acumen is perhaps not all it should be - a local confided that the grocery store had no raisins in the weeks before Christmas and while the traders are currently excited about the prospect of being declared a tourist town enabling them to ·open on Public Holidays and every day of the week, they presently close their doors and bicycle home for an hour's lunch.

Not suprisingly this attitude leads many locals to prefer to shop in the larger city of Horsham - only a half hour's drive away. On.a more positive side the proximity of Horsham could see Dimboola appealing as a commuter town or as a pleasant less expensive country environment in which to retire.

43 CATALYST FOR INVOLVEMENT

Often a catalyst is required to bring to the surface something already threatening. In this case,that catalyst was the planned bypass of Dimboola township by the Western Highway. Planned at this stage to be operating by 1988 the Council gave its consent to the scheme in 1983. While the removal of heavy trucks from the main shopping street will be a positive effect of the bypass, there was a high level of concern amongst local people that it would also result in the economic and social decline of the town. This lead to the Shire approaching the Townscape Advisory Service for assistance with the upgrading of the overall environment of Dimboola township. Since January of this year we have been working, in conjunction with a Master of Landscape Architecture student, to prepare a Townscape Improvement Programme for the township.

With four years untiJ the bypass opening Dimboola presents an exciting challenge to the Townscape Advisory Service. There is enough time to make real improvements to both the image and environment of this town. Combined with that though there is a good opportunity to document the social and economic effects of a highway bypass upon a town. An additional stimulus to Council's involvement has been the celebration of the shire's Centennial in 1985. An increased number of visitors and.community functions can be expected at this time and completed improvements would be a highly visible statement of both the· Council and community's commitment to the future of Dimboola. The level of community support.and therefore the degree of success a pro gramme such as this achieves is directly proportional to the level of community consultation that precedes it. D1mboola is perhaps an easier community than most in which to consult with residents. Two public meetings have been held this year and articles run in the local newspaper but the greatest amount of contact has been in the street. "Taking photographs are you?", is the usual introduction but conversations can lead anywhere from a guided tour of the local plant nursery to an exploration of some one 1 s private photo collection. The contacts made, comments passed and advice given form the basis of an essential understanding of the community.

It is now five months since our first public meeting and the first stage of the improvement programme is scheduled to begin within the next few weeks . In this paper, I would like to initially present an over view of our programme in Dimboola as an example of the Townscape process at work. Then by discussing in greater detail three aspects of the programme identify:

(i) the need for a well thought out and co-ordinated approach before implementation

{ii) the importance of, and ability to negotiate with various agencies and individuals to satisfy their requirements without compromising the quality and overall coherency of the improvement programme.

44 DIMBOOLA TOllNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PR

In conjunction with the Shire and community we have developed a three point programme that aims to counter the threat of the bypass and ensure future economic stability. Briefly the three points are:

(1) the· upgrading of the commercial area to produce a better shopping environment thus encouraging a greater sense of shopping loyalty amongst locals.

(2) the .maintenance and strengthening of Dimboola's character as.a small friendly country town offering an alternative living environment to Horsham commuters or perhaps those wishing to retire.

(3) strengthening of the town's role in attracting tourism and recreational visits.

Translation of these principles into implementable projects requires a thorough .understanding of the character of Dimboola. To. take the first aspect, what. are the options for a·town like Dimboola looking to upgrade its commercial centre? It cannot hope to compete with Horsham's contemporary style, goods selection or size. Equally it is no Maldon. Obviously it must seek to build upon and accentuate the positive aspects of its character. As already identified the most apparent and most positive characteristic is the homogeneous style of buildings.- the posted verandahs, tile work, and recessed doorways - a style that date.s from the 1920s. While the town's origins stem from at least forty years earlier, it seems that Dimboola enjoyed something of a boom in the 1920s and it is these buildings (virtually untouched) which comprise the bulk of the town today.

Logically then it is this 1920s streetscape character or theme that should form the basis of any upgrading. Fittingly, a "1920s theme" is appropriate in reinforcing an atmosphere of efficient friendly contact and personal service - exactly what Dimboola can offer over larger towns such as Horsham. As will be dealt with at a later stage, it is essentially the spirit of the 1920s that Dimboola should strive for, rather than accurate restoration.

Moving from the general theme, specific problems within the shopping area were then considered within the context of the desired character. (See Figure 1)

45 DIMBOOLA TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT .PROGRAMME

PROBLEM STATEMENT SU(r;ESTED PRcx:;RAMME TECHNIQUE TO ACHIEVE TIME SCALE FUND II'(;

Weak economic Commercial upgrading to Development of a streetscape condition likely to encourage locals to character reflected in: be wc·r sened by shop locally. PAV!!'(; IMPROVEMENTS Late 84 CEP future bypass of SHOPFRONT RENOVATION in progress PRIVATE the "llown. STREET FURNITURE Future SHIRE PLANT!!'(; OF SEMI-MATURE TREES Aug.84 SHIRE RETAIL SURVEY BEFORE/AFTER BYBASS Aug. 84 TOWNSCAPE ASSISTANCE FRO'vi SMALL BUSINESS Near future SMALL CORPORATION BUS.CORP. Strengthening of the Streetscape theme carried existing rural town through township: character to encourage RESIDENTIAL GUIDELINES 1984-85 SHIRE commuters to Horsham and TONN LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES 1984-85 SHIRE others seeking an DEVELOPMENT OF TOWN SQUARE/ late SHIRE/CEP alternative living FCX:US ON OLD SHIRE HALL 1984-85 ·environment. Strengthening of the TOWN ENTRY PLANT!!'(; Late 1984 CEP town's role in attracting TOWN E.NTRY SIGNAGE 1984-85 SHIRE tourism and.recreational TOWN WALK Aug. 1984 TONNSCAeE/ . visits. JAYCEES PROviOTION OF WIMviERA RIVER 84 TOURISM/ SHIRE

figure 1· Heading the list was the lack of shade for pedestrians and parked vehicles within the shopping area. This was consistently identified by both traders and shoppers as being desperately required in Lloyd Street. Street trees seemed an obvious solution and highly appropriate in terms of the streetscape theme. In fact many residents remember the days when trees were planted in Lloyd Street.

As the first on-the-ground component of the Townscape Programme thirty two semi-:-mature Desert Ash trees (Fraxinus oxycarpa) will be planted in Lloyd Street early in August. The design issues addressed in both the selection and positioning of those trees is worthy of further elaboration.

STREET TREE SELECTION AND Lcx::ATION

As a streetscape tool, trees have the ability to provide more than simply climate modification. They are an attractive and changeable element that can add colour and texture to.a static built environment. In addition trees can give special character to a portion of a street announcing it as a special precinct. In so doing they tend to slow traffic.

Applied to the particular situation of Lloyd Street though they have another dramatic spatial effect. A section through the street reveals that the relatively low scale buildings on either side accentuates the width of the street so that the shopping area provides no sense of enclosure or. comfort to the pedestrian. By providing height the addition of trees visually reduces the scale of the street to one more conducive to pe.deslrian comfort and shopping activities.

In the first instance then consideration had to be given as to where the trees could be planted in order to maximise shade where it was required - on the cars. This seemed to indicate they should be out in the roadway amongst the carparks. The further out the more spatial definition given to the street but also the more potential for conflict between vehicles passing, parking and car doors opening. Planting at a distance of four metres from the kerb was found to satisfy the visual requirements without compromising on safety.

A relatively formal avenue effect seemed appropriate for the Lloyd Street shopping area with the distance between trees being a function of

(1) the size they could be expected to ~ttain (check local examples or ref er to "The Street Tree Directory" produced by the Royal Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation - Victoria region 1981)

(2) the number of carparks between trees. (and.the number of carparks that could afford to be lost)

(3) the degree (or lack) of building screenage desired (4) shadow lines.

47 . SELECTION OF TREE SPECIES ,, ii E E 0 u ~

--(/) :::::> w --z -- z >- ..-... _J _J <( ~-. ~- a.. <( :::::> I ..-... 1-i a.. 0::: _J 0 u <(~ (/) 8 ..-... 0::: 0::: :::::> LL w w - z ,__. _J _J 0::: _J .::::i > a ;_u a 6 0 0::: I- (/) <( 1-i :::> 9 - :::::> :::::> CL u a.. V) z z z >- >- :::::> <( ..... 1-i ..... (/) ::c _J ,_.z ..... :::::> <( _J ~ ~ ~ 2 ~ u :c w 0::: 0::: 0::: _J 0::: :::> u 2 LL LL :::::> co w V) i::, .._.. .._.. ------'-' "--' ----- 0::: 2 z ::c I _J 2 0::: C§ (/) (/) :r: w :::::> 0 w <:( <( (/) CJ u u <:( w 0::: I- I- (/) ~I w w 0::: w w <:( 6 0... I-,_. w 0::: ~ z 0::: _J a.. V) <:( ,_. 0::: _J Performance Criteria w ::c w _J ::c :::::> w 0... 3: 0 u ~ u :::...::: >-

3PECIES SHOULD REFLECT DIMBO'JLA'S CHARACTER - DESERT,RIVER,WHEAT,RAILWAY / x j xx x I j HISTORICAL ASSCX:IATia-..lS WITH TOI/N'S Cav1MERCIAL AREA / x x xx x x x ALREADY SEEN TO BE SURVIVING IN DIMBO'JLA j - SU~ER DROUGHT, WINTER FROST / I I I x I I SHAPE OF TREE SHOULD PROVIDE DENSE j SU~ER SHADE / / I / I I x

TREE SHOULD LET WINTER SUN THROUGH - DECIDUOUS x I I I I I x I LONG TRUNKED TREE THAT CAN BE WALKED j BENEATH, Al'-0 SEEN UNDER I I I x I / I

THE LEVEL OF MAINTENA/'£E - PROBLEMS OF BERRY LOS~, FRUIT AND BRA/'£H LOSS 3 0 s 0 0 0 0 w 6 0 w w w ~ _J 2 _J _J 2 2 2 _J r

48 figure 2 -

Dimboola Commercial Centre prior to tree planting

Sketch of Dimboola Commercial Centre showing trees at maturity

'· -- ~ - . - -- .----·· ... -~~-~ --- .-- ... A three car spacing between trees was arrived at which should provide total shade coverage at midday when the trees are mature. In this case the Dimboola Shire had decided to use semi-mature or advahced trees of between 4 and 5 metres high, thus providing considerable impact at planting, but obviously involving a greater initial cost.

Many of the problems municipalities experience with trees are due to inadequate consideration when siting the tree. The possibility of inter ference with overhead wires, underground pipes, services and verandahs should be considered in terms of the trees' eventual size. In addition serious problems are of ten caused to pavements and services by tree root systems. Guidance in this matter is available from the 'South Australian Sewerage Act 1929-66' and while this.list is the only currently published data source it is widely recognised as being inadequate and over-cautious. The introduction of controlled irrigation systems and the planting of semi mature specimens which have been root-balled in the nursery, produces a much more fibrous rather than aggressive root system and can consequently be expected to reduce problems.

Countless examples of severely pollarded trees and uprooted kerbs testify to the lack of care taken in species choice and tree location.

Choosing an appropriate species for a particular situation is basically a matter of considering: a. the qualities the tree should possess; b. the function thetree should perform; c. its ability to grow in the physical environment

The simplest means of organising such an evaluation is suggested in the chart of Figure 2, measuring possible tree species against a series of performance criteria. While the criteria chosen are specific to Dimboola the principles illustrated are universal. Although the chart gives equal weight to each criteria it may be that the community may see some functions as being more important than others and score them accordingly higher. Based upon this evaluation either Desert Ash or Peppercorn appeared to be the most appropriate tree for Lloyd Street .. The feeling of both the Council and the community was that the deciduous nature of the Ash had practical advantage and it is this tree that Council now intends to plant.

Lloyd Street for at least the next four years is a main highway and as such is under the control of the Road Construction Authority {RCA}.Initially it had been hoped that a temporary heavy traffic bypass could be enacted to remove trucks from the street thus lessening any concern that the RCA may have had about the trees forming a traffic hazard. However, this was not possible.

While understanding the rationale for wishing to plant the trees now and even their positioning, the RCA agreed to the planting of the trees only if a series of spiked kerb sections were placed around the trees. In addition marker posts would be required around the trees and a roadmarking line to delineate the reduced. carriageway.

50 The delineation of the narrowed road width is an important matter of safety but one that should not have a detrimental effect on the street scape or reduce the level of amenity anticipated from the tree planting. Thus, currently under negotiation with the RCA is .an alternative method of demarcation and protection that we have devised taking into account two basic principles.

Firstly, that although of a temporary nature (four years) any protecting element should make a positive contribution to the Dimboola streetscape and in particular should avoid looking unplanned or temporary. Such protecting elements then should be functional but also appropriate to Dimboola's character as a small rural town.

Secondly, that the reduced width should logically be marked at the very beginning of the block in a manner that physically forms a gateway and alerts motorists that they are entering a special precinct. This done, minimal delineation should be required within the block.

The revised scheme proposes the extension of the pavements at the corners in the same concrete block pavers used in much of the commercial area. These extensions and the trees throughout the street are to be vertically defined by timber bollards. While being functional, these bollards also make a positive contribution to the streetscape by repeating the chamfered detailing of the Old Shire Hall interior woodwork.

This scheme demonstrates that it is possible to incorporate 'temporary' protection without compromising the overall streetscape or increasing costs. It is worth remembering that many apparently temporary elements have a tendency to become permanent and thus require as much consideration as those permanent elements of streetscape.

RENOVATION OF HISTORIC BUILDil\GS

Dimboola 1 s Old Shire Hall is located in the midst of the commercial centre. No longer used in its civic capacity, the building is now a meeting place for community groups and occasionally used as a backdrop to market stalls. Under a grant the Council is currently restoring the Hall to its former glory. The veranda is being replaced and the present white paintwork either removed or replaced by a more appropriate colour. The restoration highlighted the opportunity to develop what was already a community place in to an obvious focus for the town that residents could extend their use of and take pride in.

While the close link between the commercial centre and such a building would seem to be an advantage, that very proximity in this case has tended to diminish the importance of the Hall. Car parking continues in front of the building as if it were just another shop and one of the few newer buildings in the street sits uncomfortably close.

Old photographs reveal that the Hall was originally fronted by a picket fence and framed by specimen trees. The effect was to separate the building from its surr·oundings thus emphasising it but in the form of a museum piece to be admired rather than as a building open to the community. When in use as Shire Offices this was a highly appropriate solution but as the community's needs have changed a renovation rather than a restoration approach has been considered more appropriate for the forecourt.

51 Dimboola Old Shire Hall

Landscape improvement suggested for Old Shire Hall.

52 Renovation is in this case a contemporary solution which respects the architectural integrity of the building as well as that of the surrounding streetscape. It allows the original proportions, intentions, lines and textures of the building to be respected, reflected but sometimes reworked in to a contemporary language in order to achieve the successful re-use of an historic building.

The renovation will rely on the use of subtle, yet real references back to the form, quality and character of the old building and surrounding streetscape. In particular:

An extension of the pavement in to the street will give the Old Shire Hall a setting and significance. In so doing, it will invite rather than discourage community participation without hampering the predominant pedestrian movement across the site.

Picket fencing will be re-used to enclose the space about the Hall and also as a tool to reduce the visual importance of the neighbouring building.

The forecourt edge will be defined by timber bollards which repeat the chamfered detailing found inside the building.

A formal yet close arrangement of trees aims to provide a link with the traditional landscaping while providing an enclosed area of dense shade and colour.

Wherever possible introduced elements or materials endeavour to repeat the colour or detailing of the building - the large paving block which predominates inthe commercial area will be re-used here. Similarly the low brick wall suggested as an edge to the forecourt should pick up the mortaring style, texture and colour .of the existing brick work of the Old Shire Hall.

Again, this project still under development emphasises the need for that thorough co-ordinated approach with each element being seen in the overall context of the desired town character.

SHOP FRONT IMPROVEMENT In order to encourage shopkeeper pride and the promotion of the 20s streetscape theme, Council in conjunction with its Centennial programme announced a shopfront renovation competition. We saw the project as an important aspect of the overall townscape programme. At the very least it seemed likely to discourage ·further whimsical changes to more modern facade treatments. At best it could definitely contribute to local pride by enhancing the visual environment and preserving character.

The Townscape Advisory Service offered to provide architectural advice to shop owners contemplating improvements. For their part owners were asked to locate any old photos of their buildings and supply existing condition plans.

53 So far three shopowners have taken up the opportuhity and the results have been gratifying. As is the case with the Old Shire Heil! the aim is not to present Dimboola's commercial area as an historic relic but as a working rural town.

The shops must serve the needs of today's community and the promotion of the spirit of personal service that prevailed in the 1920s is just as important as the restoration of the building elements of that period. As possibly the most visible element in the street and yet the most temporary, exterior signage has naturally assumed major importance in all schemes considered thus far. Using examples drawn .. from newspapers and magazines of the period certain principles can be stated in terms of

(1) the positioning of signage (2) appropriate writing styles (3) business names (4) use of proprietors name (5} colour

Extensive guidance for nineteenth century buildings is given in the National Trust Technical Bulletin 2.2 "Lettering and Signs on Buildings 1850-1900 11 and some of the prindples identified there apply equally to the 1920s.

Although there are obviously mechanisms within the Planning Act which could be. used to restrict changes within the commercial area to a desired character, no such compulsion exists for owners in Dimboola. Nor is it envisaged for the future.

Present results indicate that negotiation with owners is probably a more positive and rewarding approach.

Presented with a plausible explanation that makes sound economic sense . even a major chain store has been prepared to modify its standard franchise lettering to a style more in keeping with Dimboola's 1920s character. CQl\ICLUSION

Public meetings have formed the basis of this programme - they are however unpredictable and even a little daunting. There is always the worry that perhaps no one cares enough to come. Despite the reputation of country towns in regard to change a lack of .public support has never been a concern in Dimboola. Rather it would seem that until encouraged by the Townscape Programme many residents were loathe or even embarrassed to admit that they rather liked the quaint verandahs and deep guttered streets. Those are the things that they now proudly see as making Dimboola so different from other towns.

If this programme is to be measured in nothing else, the improved 'self-image' and 'increased community awareness' apparent in Dimboola has already made it worthwhile.

54 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA '84" SEMINARS

CHILTERN :- IMPLEMENTAT'ION OF TOWNSCAPE STUDY PROPOSALS

Graeme Alford Shire Engineer Shire of Chiltern

INTROOUCTION

A townscape study of Chiltern was undertaken during 1982 by seven students 9oing · their Masters af Landscape Architecture degree at Melbourne University. This study, known as the Chiltern Townscape Study,* identified a range of general improvement opportunitie~ and several specific projects. Most of the latter have already been substantially completed. In addition, Council has recently undertaken a number of other townscape improvement projects~

This paper briefly outlines the projects being implemented and demonstrates how the Townscape Study has been used for applying for funds, where the funds have been requested from, and what funds have been obtained.

CHILTERN HISTORY

Chiltern was originally named Black Dog Creek, after the creek that runs past it on its western side. It is located on the main Melbourne to Sydney road and rail links. The town was renamed. Chiltern after the Chiltern Hills in England. Significant events in its history include -

gold was discovered in the 1950s and the main street alignment followed the settlement at the time, as it was not laid out to a set survey plan;

the town went through a rather quiet period in the 1950s and 1960s which resulted in many of the old buildings still existing today;

the Walt Disney film "Ride a Wild Pony" was shot on location in Chi! tern in 1974. Many of t.he shop facades were painted up a·nd this led to the start of the reconstruction programme of historic buildings.

Council has been actively involved in restoration works on various buildings and park areas since 1980.

The Hume Highway bypassed the town in the 1960s. The town's population is currently arqund 1000, and has been steadily growing since the mid 1970s, with the new population being largely made up of commuters who work in Albury-Wodonga some 30 km away.

* Chiltern Townscape Study University of Melbourr.e 1982 ·

55 The town has a substantial number of significant buildings; many of which have been included on the National Estate Register, Victorian Historic Buildings Register or the National Trust listings. These buildings include:

Bank of Australasia c. 1879 Star (Grapevine) Hotel and Star Theatre c. 1866 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church c. 1871 St. Paul's Church of England c. 1870 Lake View Homestead c. 1870 Federal Standard Office. c. 1860 . Post Office c. 1863 Court House c. 1865 Athenaeum c. 1866 Railway Station c. 1875.

To assist in maintenance of the town's heritage, the town has received assistance from the Beechworth/Chiltern/Yackandandah Restoration Fund and Architectural Advisory Service, since 1980, provided through the Ministry for Planning and Environment.

CQNSE_RVATION. STUDY AND PLANNING SCHEME

A pressing problem in Chiltern is the classic conservation dilemma,that is,deciding how much of the ageing fabric of the town can and should be preserved, and at what cost. In this regard Council commissioned Heather Sutherland to prepare the Chiltern Conservation Study in 1981. Her purpose was to identify the important areas and to make specific recommendations for the future conservation of the township. In addition, she identified individual buildings of historic significance.

Council adopted many of the recommendations made in the Conservation Study and these have been incorporated in the Shire of Chiltern Planning Scheme 1982 which was recently submitted to the Minister. Also in 1981 a report entitled the Chiltern Landscape Study was prepared by Council officers. Both this and the Conservation Study report were used by the Melbourne University students as background for the Townscape Study.

CHILTERN TOWNSCAPE STUDY

The Study covers Chiltern's history, geography of the area, comments on the visual character of the town as it existed at the time, general landscape problems and some landscape proposals. It also included some thoughts for the future direction of the township.

The emphasis of the study was towards producing material of direct benefit to the community of Chiltern as explained in the following extract from the report's introduction:

"From the outset it was recognized that many townscape studies written in the past have failed to gain popular attention or local political support with the result that few have been the basis for p.ractical action. Why this should be so is an issue which has concerned us. It is suggested that one very likely reason could be that these studies have tended to ignore the constraints of limited municipal resuurces. The recommendations

56 made have usually beet'l rather sweeping and probably quite costly to carry out. There have been insufficient action proposals for specific areas, of the type that might fire public enthusiasm and that could be tackled as individual projects on a one by one basis as fu~ds become available.

This report has been structured in an attempt to avoid these difficulties, and to provide.a more appropriate basis for action. After briefly reviewing the history, geography and visual character of Chiltern it summarises our perception of the problems of the town in a landscape development sense. It then identifies several areas within the town which demonstrate these problems. The main thrust of the report .is then to offer suggestions for the redevelop ment or improvement of these particular areas."

The major opportunities identified by the study related to:

town entries and avenues; town centre, particularly the Athenaeum and proposed Tourist Park public buildings precinct the lake and park other open spaces the tourist walk the sports complex.

The Townscape Study also proposed several specific projects,and concept .plans were prepared for each of these.

IMPLEMENT~lION OF TOvVNSCAPE STUDY PROJECTS

Athenaeum The building was restored in 1981 using National Estate funds and funds from the Beechworth/Chiltern/Yackandand~h Restoration Fund. Originally the Town Hall and Library, the Athenaeum is now operated as a museum by the Athenaeum Committee. Located adjacent to the building is an open space which was vacant. One of the proposals put forward in the Townscape Study was to develop it as an outdoor display area for agricultural machinery and mining equipment which was used in the area and to operate this area in conjunction with the existing Athenaeum museum.

The final design and works differ considerably to those proposed in the Study, but were worked out in conjunction with the Architectural Advisor to the Beechworth/Chiltern/Yackandandah Restoration Fund Committee. Works included site drainage, levelling of the site to create a hard stand area and the erection of the fence along the front and rear boundaries. The project w0:s funded as follows:

150th Anniversaryworks - $2,000 Council contribution - $3,000

57 .. ·,,•)

.>. • • ··~- ••••

.- . . ;;q;::::=

Site for the Information Centre - o en space around the e era Stan ing

- ---

Sketch plan for Tourist Information centre complex 58 Lake Anderson

Improvement works were proposed in the Study for this significant area. Although not specifically mentioned, the cleaning of the Lake floor during the 1981 drought complements these proposals. As part of these works the existing banks were stabilised and an island was constructed as a wildlife refuge.

These works were undertaken by Council using its own plant and funded from its own revenue at a cost of $5,000.

Tourist Information Centre

The most major project suggested in the Study was the construction of a static tourist information centre, bus parking area and toilets close to the town centre. The provision of new toilet facilities was identified in the Study as was the problem caused by bus parking in the narrow main streets. The Townscape Study came up with the proposal to use vacant land close to the centre of the town, bringing the park and lake area down to the town centre.

The concept plan contained in the Townscape Study was used in a sub mission to the Victorian Tourism Commission for funding for which the Council was successful in attracting a grant of $32,000 on a $2:$1 basis. The building itself is built with modern materials but to an historic form, being designed by the Shire Engineer and Architectural Advisor. The landscaping was designed by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

An interesting feature of the project ore the lights which are based on o tvrn-of-the-century design seen in early photos of Chiltern.

Sports Complex

The Chiltern Sports Complex which was constructed several years ago was one of the buildings identified in the Study that required landscaping improvements to break down its large form. The proposals put forward were the concept design of what is being constructed.

These works are currently being undertaken using CEP grant monies. This part of the project is estimated to cost $5,000 including drainage works and pavement material.

OTHER IMPROVEMENT WORKS

In addition to the Townscape Study projects, other works on structures around the town, which add to the town's character, have recently been undertaken.

Lake Anderson Footbridge

The old bridge which was in a very poor condition was dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up to the original design. The bridge was con structed· using National Estate grant monies of $3,000.

59 '., .... .,· ...... -, ·-. -.·'"

Existing Sports Centre buildings

Suggested landscaping for the Sports Centre

60 Timber Grandstand Located on top of an old mullock heap at the Chiltern Football ground, this grandstand required repairs. Using National Estate grant monies of $4,000, restoration work was carried out to the timber work where necessary and included complete replacement of the seating. . Painting of the structure will be carried out using the same CEP funds as for the Chiltern Sports Complex.

Old Police Residence and Lock-Up

The Old Police Residence was purchased by the National Parks Service in 1982, restored,and is now the residence for the Park Ranger for the nearby Chiltern State Park. The Lock-up is Council's current National Estate project in progress, and with a grant of $3,000 the works will include rebuilding of the wall and floor lining to the two cells.

Open Drains Low-flow drains hGve been constructed in the majority of the town's open drains in order to reduce the maintenance works and to further improve the town's appearance. This project was funded using Employment Initia tives Programme grant monies of $49,000. The area itself is now being developed as an outdoor activities area, with CEP funds being used to construct cycle paths.

Footpaths Construction of brick paving footpaths commenced in 1981, as a half-cost scheme. At the time when Council decided to take the initiative to do these works there was some opposition, but they are avast improvement to the old uneven brick and asphalt paths that existed at the time.

Beechworth/Chiltern/Yackandandah Restoration Fund Works Grants and loans made available to private landowners have been used in recent years to undertake restoration works to many buildings. Works include reconstruction of facades, verandahs, repainting of exteriors, additions, alterations, etc. All works are supervised by the Architec tural Advisor to ensure compliance with planning permits issued.

CONCLUSION In concluding, it can be seen that the community of Chiltern has improved dramatically since 1980, With some of these improvements being a direct result of the Townscape Study. Council has obtained funds from many sources and has also added its own funds wRere necessary, to assure completion of the projects.

Acknowledgement The graphics in this paper have been reproduced from the Chiltern Townscape Study, Melbourne University, 1981 (unpublished report).

61 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA '84" SEMINARS

ECONotv1IC AND SCX:IAL BENEFITS OF TONNSCAPE IMPROVEMf.NT ... A CASE ST)..!OY IN STANHOPE

Wendy Morris Townscape Advisory Service, Ministry for Planning and Environment

INTROOUCT ION

The purpose of this paper is to raise a number of general issues related to economic and social benefits of townscape improvement and then to examine the results of a recent survey in Stanhope. Many townscape improvement projects are initiated because there is an economic problem, often in the traditional commercial centre where trade is declining or stagnant and community spirit is poor. Commonly these problems may result from:

competition from nearby larger towns with a better range and quality of goods;

competition from new fringe 'shoppingcentres' within the town or suburbs, which have easy parking and a pleasant shopping environment;

loss of passing trade following completion of a highway bypass.

There is evidence that good townscape improvement can contribute to economic and social well-being and there is also evidence that townscape improvement of low quality may actually contribute to further decline. In order to make the most of the opportunities in a commercial area, a townscape improvement programme will need to encompass a variety of actions including not only planning controls, street improvement works, and parking and accessibility improvements, but also business improvement, both of individual businesses and of the centre as a whole.

ECONotv1IC IMPROVEMENT AS AN OBJECTIVE

Where economic improvement is a major objective of a townscape programme, it would be valuable to estimate the theoretical level of improvement which could be expected. Surveys can be done to document the 'retail drain' from a centre. However, often local traders know approximately what proportion of a potential market they are attracting. For example in Alexandra, which has little close competition, it is likely that only some 10% - 20% of business 'drains' whereas in Kilmore up to 70% is thought to 'drain' to the northern suburbs of Melbo~rne.

Many towns have the idea that economic salvation of commercial centres lies in tourism; however, with several notable exceptions, the income which can be obtained from tourists is relatively small compared with •·:that avoilable ttu·ough reversing the 1 retoil drain 1 of .1 ocol resident~

62 using other centres. In saying this it is not to suggest that all retail sales can or should be attracted back to a centre, but· just that it is usually possible to recapture a higher proportion of spending on basic goods.

The major reasons why people do not shop locally include:

higher cost of goods;

poor range and quality of goods;

low quality environment (e.g.no shade, difficult parking, rundown footpaths);

poor business image (e.g.no promotion, poor window displays, poorly maintained buildings);

poor community spirit and animosity towards traders.

Physical improvements to the street will upgrade the shopping environ ment and can contribute significantly to an increase in the sense of pride and local community spirit. However, economic upturn will be dependent on improvements being made to local business operations at the same time. Business improvement can be looked at under three categories:

range and quality of goods;

standard of individual businesses;

the promotion of the centre as a whole. Range and Quality of Goods

A commercial centre must have a full range of basic shops - a grocery, greengrocer and butcher (often combined,now,into a supermarket) with good quality stock. If people find it necessary to go out of the centre for basic shopping items, then they will also tend to conduct the bulk of their shopping out of town.

One or more shops offering a particularly high quality of service are also useful - in Stanhope there is an excellent hardware shop which provides a regional service. In Kyneton there is a good butcher, who not only has friendly service, sawdust on the floor and cuts all meat to order in front of customers,but also stocks· 'modern' items such as flavoured sausages and kabana (home-made, of course). In Moldan the historic bakery has a very good reputation across the district.

For years some councils have committed funds to attract new industry. It may now also be appropriate for towns to consider investments to encourage needed shops into their centres. This is already beginning to occur. For example, in one small Victorian community,Council_is · trying to attract a much-needed supermarket by directly approaching

63 various supermarket 'chains', and discussing assistance with land assembly, parking, landscaping and swift consideration of planning applications. At a larger scale the City of Sale recently spent $3.3 million to provide land for a new shopping centre in a location which would enable good links to be made to the existing commercial area. Council then established a joint venture with a private developer who is funding and constructing the centre and related street improvements, including a mall. Council retains control of the development, and will use shop rents to repay the developer. Ultimately it is hoped that Council will wholly own the development.

Standard of Individual Businesses

Many shopkeepers in established centres lack the skills needed to run good small businesses. Basic information on window display techniques, stock management, advertising, shopfront improvement and so on,is often required. Organisations such as the Small Business Corporation can provide assistance to traders who seek it, but it is often necessary to give people a 'push' to seek such assistance. The townscape improvement project officers can assist directly by providing advice on. shopfront improvement to individual traders, and through this avenue,begin to introduce them to other aspects of business improvement.

The Promotion of the Centre as a whole

Businesses in many traditional shopping centres have historically regarded their major competition as coming from other shops within the centre. As a centre declines, traders adapt by competing more against each other to retain their share of.the market. In the short term, each business to close leaves the remainder relatively better off. Traders in such centres usually show a very low level of co-operation. Traders must be encouraged to see a shopping centre as a single entity, and that the health of the centre as a whole will often determine the health of individual components within it.

In order to develop a suitable approach for traditional centres, it is useful to understand the promotional techniques used by newer-style shopping centres. The emphasis is on promotion of the centre as a whole; a shopping centre manager is employed who is responsible for joint advertising, co-ordinated promotions and organising events and activities. These are just some of the techniques used to promote an already sophisticated organisation-carefully chosen mix of 'drawcard' retailers with a minimum of direct internal competition, standard hours, no empty shops, and a clean and comfortable shopping environment . The importance of activities can be seen in the following example, High Point West Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong had, in one mid-winter week, the following events running:

campaign to protect children from burns; Footscray/Yarraville City Band and rafflei Yo yo competition; beauty aids demonstration and classes; and a winter foods fair.

64 Whilst it is not suggested that traditional centres should fully copy the approach of these new centres, the basic principle - that a shopping centre must be seen as a mutually-dependent system - is applicable, and certain matters such as co-ordinated advertising, consistent hours and promotional events ore vital. A strong image or sense of identity is also a valuable parallel.

Traditional centres have certain characteristics and assets that dis tinguish them from their newer rivals, and these must be exploited positively. These include:

the diverse mix of shop types, business styles, and advertising, which ore in direct contrast to the planned and somewhat sterile nature of new centres;

the interesting and of ten historic buildings that make up the centre;

the vitality in the mix of uses - there ore not only shops, but also civic, community and residential uses, hotels and restaurants, which means the centre has 'life' outside the regular shopping hours, and is a central focus for the community;

more choice of goods because of the usually higher level of internal .competition;

possibly more personalised service, and more owner-occupied, family businesses.

seen as "belonging" to the community.

Where competition is identified as a larger town nearby, emphasis will need to be on things such as:

easy parking, shade for cars; friendly, personalised service; saving of petrol from not travelling to other centres; community "well-being".

In existing centres an active Chamber of Commerce or other business development group is essential. Existing centres could consider applying for a CEP grant to employ a commercial centre manager. Council may wish to sponsor such a project.

SHOPKEEPER AND RESIDENT SURVEYS

In order to measure the economic impact of improvements, communities are encouraged to undertake surveys of shopkeepers prior to on improve ment programme being carried out. Information such as the existing number of employees, retail sales trends, hours worked, shop rents, number of vacant shops, amount of promotion and store maintenance are

65 all important benchmarks against which subsequent changes can be assessed. A survey of this type has been designed by the Townscape Advisory Service and is soon to be conducted in Mildura, Dimboola and Kilmore. A follow-up survey conducted after improvements have been carried out will enable some reliable measure of economic change to be made.

Resident surveys may be ~aluable in some areas prior to undertaking an improvement programme, to ascertain shopping patterns, perceived problems with an existing commercial centre and ideas for improvements. STANHOPE - A CASE STUDY

A survey of shopkeepers was recently conducted in Stanhope to document economic and social changes following streetscape improvements in the commercial centre.

Stanhope has a reputation as a very conservative, cost-conscious town of around 560 people, in the centre of an irrigated dairying district about 40 km from both Shepparton (pop. 28,000) and Kyabram (pop.5,400). Through the 1970s it was seen as a typically stagnant country town, with a low level of community pride and little resident support of the shopping centre.

Gutters aad the r~ad pavement had been i.n need of replacement for some time. The Waranga Shire Council chose to undertake these works as part of a more extensive scheme of street improvement works incorporating new and extended footpaths, seats, brick paving, trees, and lighting, and costing about 100% more than the basic replacement works. The street beautification works were designed and constructed by Council staff from September to November 1980, and have significantly improved the appear ance of the shopping centre. Council was subsequently awarded a Lands cape Design Award by the Garden State Committee for the work.

Following the completion of the works, the Stanhope Chamber of Commerce mounted a strong regional advertising campaign, presumably because they then felt they had something to be proud of and to promote, but ostensibly because traders were worried about the declin~ of the district.

11 At the Townscape Victoria"workshops in 1982 Mr Max Richards, Waranga Shire Engineer, gave a presentation on the street improvement scheme. In concluding his remarks, he indicated that there had been some surprising economic and social benefits following the scheme's completion. These included the opening of one new shop, and additional employees in another. A bank manager had reported up to 15% increase in shop retail sales, a bush market had established, and significant improve ment had occurred in both community spirit and social networks.

In June 1984, nearly four years after the improvements, a survey was conducted of each of the shopkeepers to systematically document the economic changes. The survey gathered basic information on each business ~nd on factors which could indicate economic impact, including changes ·since the improvements, in:

66 workforce • retail sales number of vacant shops . number of businesses shop appearance and layout advertising and promotion hours of opening .

It was accepted that results would be difficult to analyse because of the absence of a 'before' survey, the fact that no comparable towns had been surveyed for retail trends in recent years, and because some survey questions could not identify well the pre-improvement situation. Also neither of the bank managers who were stationed in town before and after the improvements was still in the town. Additionally, retail sales trends are particularly difficult to interpret in towns such as Stanhope which are substantially dependent on the fortunes of a single industry. The state of the dairy industry will continue to be the most significant factor influencing business well-being and the street improvements can only hope to influence the proportional split between money spent in Stanhope and money spent elsewhere.

There were twelve shops prior to the improvements and fourteen at the time of the survey. One shop closed during the improvements, and three new shops had opened up since. Of the eleven shops that had existed throughout eight were still operated by the same proprietors since before the improvements.

Results of the Survey

The results provided a picture of Stanhope in 1984 as a viable commercial centre with a generally healthy retail sales base. The town offers a complete range of basic goods, and has a particularly good hardware shop. Specifically, since the improvements:

three new shops have opened, leaving only one vacant shop at present;

one shop has taken on two new full time e.mployees, and with the workforce of five people in the new shops, a total of seven new jobs have been created in the centre;

. of the eight shops in operation before the improvements two reported an increase in retail sales, four reported stable sales and two indicated a sales decline (for one this was a continuation of a long term trend, and for the other the result of a deterioration of a complementary service};

of the six businesses which began operating after the improve ments, four reported satisfactory to good sales and two reported slow sales;

of the fourteen establishments, eight have carried out shop

67 improvements since the street improvement programme and two others have recently moved to well-presented premises;

. an annual bush market has established.

Those conducting the survey found clear evidence of a very strong and new-found sense of pride about the centre, and of a general improvement in community spirit. As a further measure of town pride, the town is now involved in the 'Tidy Towns' competition. Shopkeepers' faith in the town and in the future was strong, and one commented:

"We have proved we are a survival town. 11

During the survey a few shopkeepers made reference to problems they found with the improvements. Firstly some trees were located where they blocked views for reversing motorists, and secondly, the disruption caused during construction had resulted in declining retail sales, which had to be recover:ed. That this "latter problem was not more widely felt was probably because the disruption hod been limited to a six week period outside the major trading seasons and was done under the guidance of a committee of shopkeepers.

CONCLUSION

It is difficult to accurately gaug~ the economic benefits accruing from the street improvement programme in Stanhope, however there is evidence that the town has 'turned around', and now has the confidence to take up other opportunities for further community improvement.·

There are a number of lessons which can be learned.from the Stanhope experience.

The complementary action taken by the Chamber of Commerce in promoting the centre following completion of street improvements was a 'happy accident', but an action which should normally be a part of any commercial precinct townscape improvement programme. Without the trader action it is unlikely that the economic turn-around observed would have occurred. A remark made by the Chairman of the Stanhope Chamber of Commerce after the promotional campaign began is very pertinent. He said:

"Our promotion gave the townspeople something to be proud of and many said they had always wanted to support us, but we had done nothing to help ourselves."

It is interesting to note that the promotional technique chosen by the Stanhope Chamber of Commerce was similar to that used by modern 'shopping centres'. Firstly, it advertised the centre in its entirety and secondly, advertised aggressively within the trading area of its major competitors, emphasising the special benefits of shopping in Stanhope.

The importance of carefully planning the method and timing of construction activities so as to minimise disruption to existing shopping

68 patterns cannot be too strongly emphasised. Disruptions during busy shopping times such as Christmas and other major trading periods must be avoided. Commercial businesses that are marginally economic before street improvement works may find the loss of sales due to disruption during construction is the 'last straw•; and are often forced to close. This situation is thought to have occurred to the shop which closed in Stanhope during the period of construction.

Stanhope, despite being a small centte, is fortunate in that it provides a full range of basic goods through its existing businesses. In those small centres where it is found that a key business has disappeared .or never developed, councils may wish to take an active role in en couraging such a business to establish, to ensure the stability of the whole centre. In larger centres, councils may choose to become actively involved in anticipating the arrival of new commercial development and directing it to favourable locations. It should be noted that it is common practice for larger private retail developers to provide very favourable terms to a major 1 drawcard 1 retailer, then to realise economic feasibility of the project through the attraction of smaller retail 1 1 establishments which benefit most from their proximity to the drawcard •

Finally, the difficulty in accurately assessing the level of economic improvement in Stanhope is increased because of the lack of 'before improvements' survey data, and highlights the need for conducting such surveys prior to the implementation of townscape improvement works. Only then can the impact be measured with any degree of reliability. Social benefits are even more difficult to accurately measure and were not the specific subject of the Stanhope survey. However, the increased sense of pride and community spirit which now exists in Stanhope is · very tangible, and makes a major contribution to the health of the commercial centre as well as the general quality of life in the community. The value of a positive community attitude in maintaining the longer term viability of smaller rural communities cannot be under estimated. Two quotations from a recent report* on small towns in decline serve to re-inforce this point:

11 The greatest strength of any town is the people who live in it. If they are prepared to support their local town and work for its development, then it may have a future. If that commitment is lacking, and it seldom is, the town cannot be foreseen to have a future. Any attempt to help small towns must be by way of responding to and complementing this local energy. 11 (JM Murray: Small Town Future}.

* Australian Communities in Danger, Kellogg Rural Adjustment Unit, University of New England, Armidale,NSW, 1979.

69 " the only people who could reverse the trends in the town were the residents themselves. The town would prosper only if they supported it. They would support it at their own personal cost only if they valued it." (Notes from a meeting concerning Ashford, NSW,K.R.A.U}.

The contribution that townscape improvement can make to a community's positive 'state of mind' is unquestionably significanti but the above quotes serve to emphasise one final point: the necessity of closely involving all sectors of an affected community in both the development and implementation of a townscape improvement programme.

Acknowledgements: The compilation of this paper was assisted by Judy Williams,Ministry for Planning and Environment,who designed and conducted the Stanhope Survey, and Max Richards, Waranga Shire Engineer, who provided much of the background information on Stanhope.

70 "TOWNSCAPE VICliORIA 1 84 11 SEMINARS

"OFF THE DRAWING BOARD AND C)NliO THE (;;;ROUND".- THE IMPLEMENTATION OF lioWNSCA_PE .IMPR.OVEMENli PROJECTS

Nick Saf strom Landscape Architect. Loder and Bayly Pt.y. Ltd.

INTROOUCTION

This paper concentrates on certain issues involved in the implementot:ion of townscape i-mprovement project.s. In part.icular I would like fo s1i1.. ess the import.once of achieving excellent. detailing in any project. In 1ihe constant search for excellence we should be all st.riving to b.rdng to every facet. of our lives, we are 0f.'ten presented. with many t.ruisms. One drummed into me is the old adage "Look after t.he pennies and the pounds will look aft.er themselves". While nG>t. strictly t.ransla1iable I fiFmly believe that poor detailing and finishes can complet.ely undo t.he best of planned concept.s, and often excellent. detailing can uplift. a mediocre concept. The little things are import.ant., very i-mportant.

Good town planning and urban design is rarely recognized; i1l:s just: there. Most of our public, and that. includes the designers' am;l planners' political or bureaucratic masters, rarely realize that: one mall, streetscape or urban space works better than another because 1ihe linka9es were got right, the social sensitivities were addressed, access and traffic issues were explored with broader communit.y implicat.ions in mind or that the area 1 s context was examined and hist.orical and cul t:ural elements respondeq to. What they will realize is that. there is befrlieF shade and shelter, that the paving is "neat-", t:hat. it. is "greener 11 and above all, that it feels good and, if appropriate, excit:ing. If the elements of the townscape visually clash, have r0ugh edges, oF are not. easy to maintain etc., then these things will be not.iced - ifi' only perceptually - and the whole pr0ject. dragged down t-0 the level of t:he weakest element. ·

DESIGNING FOR TRIAL. IMPROVEM~NTS

The need for high quality finishes is essential not: only for permanent: impr0vements but also for temporary or t.rial improvement.s. As an example, local traffic management. schemes are generally designed t.o improve the overall amenit.y of an area. These are oft.en developed with a high level of c0mmunity part.icipation and usually a series off t:rials result. Oft.en the biggest. bat.tle is not the challenge off searching for. the Fight. equitable and legible t.raffic solution, but. in convincing the constrncting authe:>rit.y to pl.it the effort. into the oesthe1i.ics of the trial elements. Time and t.ime again, poorly c0nstnicted spike kerbing with a measly rash of white concrete and inoppr0priate pot.t.ed pl<>m1i.s is used. : :No wonder the ysuol response from the public is a big; NO w· the trial. When followed "'P respondent.s agree the t.raffic amenit.y, (usually the sore which initiated the action), was much bet.ter, but. that.: "that thing at the bottom of our street. is just terrible". The refore, whether as a final product or temporary trial, considered detail is critical.

71 URBAN DESlGN

. Good detail urban design, I believe, is synthesis of. five main ingredients.

1. The project concept: embracing planning issues; function, movement patterns; local themes or character and importantly, the Users.

2. The loc:al. environment: physical and climatic, e.g. sun, prevailing winds, slopes et.c.

3. Project budgets: establishment costs and techniques, management/maintenance systems and budgets.

4. The desi ner's skills flair and ex erience to ut.ilize and interpret al the ot er ingredients.

5. The characteristics of. the candidate elements. 0f these is least. c0nsiderecd b1.1t. absolutely criticol, I believe the last 1 for it is a matter 0f matching the opportun.it.ies creat:ed by ari element: s characteristics with the first. three ingredient.s ab0ve using the designer's flair and skill.

The end product realized on the ground is achieved by combining all of the above ingredients with good documentation, high construction skills and supervision directed.at quality control.

To achieve all of the above you firstly need t-0 recognise when you need to employ somebody skilled in the area. Y0u don 1 t. ask the Town Clerk to design drainage layouts and equally the City Engineer sh0uld not be asked to detail brick paving. I cannot. emphasise enough that. detail is cr,iidcal; it is the finishing touch to all the previous labour. If you are spending many thousands of. dollars on brick paving the extra U-me GJnd effort to carefully consider brick type, paving pat.terns, jtmd:ions wiith other elements etc is a very low percentage of that maj0r investment., but could make that investment much more sound.

SOviE DETAIL

I would like to emphasise some of the issues.notecd ob0ve as regards achieving a good prod1.1ct on the ground.

The Pr9~ect Concept: While not covering all of the issues, I wish to highligt the design process whereby the relevance 0f pa:rt.icular design is developed as this leads to the character 0f the cdet{]iling. Out. 0f an assessment of the project. 1 s f unct.isn and as a response to its locat:ion and community, a design should evolve which develops its own special "sense of place" or characteristics. For example: is it. a highly urban, suburban or rural set.ting; does the funct.ion and place coll for a formal or classic design as against. a less st.ruct.urecd product.; does the heritage of. the area need to be recognised? A sensit.ive designer will allow a design to respond to dnd reinforce the positive quali t.ies of a place.

72 The project concept should result in an urban design charad:er sketch which prescrib.es the character or the project. image. Without. beihg specific it should note vegetation characteristics or t.he product. image e.g. deciduous, umbrageol.is shade tree or light foliaged evergreen etc.; hard elements e.g. t.imber furniture of historic design or bright.ly coloured modern style; and so on covering all f acet-s of the projeciL

The Characteristics of Candidate Elements: Once the pn>>ject. character and all the other ingredients in the design process have been assessed, each of the candidate materials needs to be reviewed prior tQ commencing detail design and documentation. Each product. has it.s own attributes and an evolving interplay needs to occur bet.ween product. selection and detail design.

For example, what are the characteristics of brick paving and the differences compared to block paving.

Brick Paving: 6ricks are small modular unit.s and therefore very flexible. They are generally very hard, wear well and are of a consistent size. They are available in a range of finishes. They can be slippery. They must be c1Jt with skill. They can be laid with or without joints. They can be 1Jsed both internally and externally, but. they sho1Jld only be 1Jsed with care in heavily trafficked areas.

Block PavinW Usually of concrete in "brick sizes", with or wit out special interlocking shapes. Can also be available 11 11 as larger cobbles • l'hey are as fflexible as bricks. They are nG>t hard and do not. wear as well and discolour in dirty or heavily trafficked areas. They provide a good non-slip surface and the variety 1»f pat terns create greater design opport.uni iry. lhey can be laid with or without joint-s. The interlocking. types have excellent properties for stability in heavily t-rafficked areas. The interlocking type is the easier material to lay and l.isually cheaper. Now amongst- the above comment-s are some interes~ing conflict.s which to need be addressed before choosing a ma.terial and keeping. in mirid the options available through subUe detailing, good construct.ion t:echniq,ues and careful assessment of a project-. For excmple, blgck paving is stable m1»re and better to use in heavy t.raffic areas, but. i"fl. does not wear as well as can discolour. The designer will need t.o assess the environment and site iss1Jes to determine how crit-ical the stobili1t.y query is as against the wear factors. As a response to the above queries we recently chose brick paving for use in a mall because we desired a hard wearing surf ace with good cleaning qualities and we judged that. with flat. grades, light. traffic and good base design, the brick would be suff icienUy st.Qble. Yet. on a section of a reconst-ruction program for a resident.ial street. block we chose paving because of the awkward grades and the higher stobilit.y of.

73 the .interlocking blocks. The block chosen allowed for a st.i::ong paHerri that will produce a desirable aestheid,c result. even of.ii.er iihe original becomes discoloured.

There is no simple formula which dictates which or how tQ use any Eq1.1ally no simple rules exist as hG>w to handle the int.erfc;ice elements. 1 between elements. Only experience, experimentaii.iGm and the designer s skill can enable a forever improving response tQ the issues.

Some experimentation is import.ant· to both prG>gress and learn. All of us must be prepared to t-ry out our ideas. There are st.ill many1 new ideas to be discovered in the townscape improvement field, but let us dG> a few things in the process of experimentat.ion: Be humble - t.ry out ideas on colleagues bef G>re client.s; they may have tried or have seen something similar. Designers should have the professional mat.urit.y to look, listen and learn.

We must monitor - check, follow up and go back and back to review past work.

Produce a prototype in small areas near tQ or on a pad~ of the site.

And don 1 t forget one who never makes a mist.ake never t-i::ied anything gained. i.e. nothing ventured1 nothing THE IMPORTAl'CE OF GCXX> DCCUMENTAJION

In this extensive topic which c0uld obviously have a whole seminar on its own, I desire to labour one last. point: good documendi:at.iGm. In the 'good old days" projects of the type under discussion would be "crafted" slowly with.the designer able to modify, adjust and weld his product. Today we move at a pace to fri·ghten the old masters of the European and · Asian urban areas we all admire. Equally the issues are more complex; cars, services, a multitude of materials and importantly much greater wear and pressure.

If a project is documented well at least all of the issues should have been addressed even if not resolved brilliantly. The municipal engineer has often been known to get away with his know how and rough sketch design on rural roads and .is probably appropriate, given his local knowledge, but that does not work on tight urban sites, where all of the effort to achieve, for example, good quality brick paving can be ruined by having to saw cut around a garish concrete pit constructed out of line with the paving.

To document well first requires a good detailed survey: know where all the services are; the pits; the posts and poles; trees and their viability; drainage patterns and maintenance access ways.

Documentation should be simple, easy to both read and understand. A contractor always produces a better product when he not only knows how it goes together but understands the intent of the product. Do not

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h hesitate to call up trials and samples. Work with, for instance, the stonemason, to get a sample piece of walling right; jointly iron out the bugs and the rest has a much greater chance of flowing smoothly. Remember a good tradesman has skill and pride too. ·

~~COl'CLUSION~~

This paper only scratches ~he surface, but I hope it has addressed sufficiently the issues inVolved to assist the continuing search for high standard work. In conclusion, I would emphasise the importance of the following:

~~· A concept which has a st~ong sense of purpose and developed character.~~

~~A knowledge of the project components and their attributes. Careful consideration of site and material detail.~~

~~Detail the product on the drawing board.~~

~~Don't design something with unachievable tolerances.~~

~~We must all work towards excellence; .good enough is not good enough and never, never forget the little things for they will pull the whole effort back to their level.~~

~~Here's to better quality townscapes.~~

~~77 "TOWNSCAPE VICTORIA 1 84 11 SEMINARS~~

~~FUNDING FOR TOWNSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS Jon Shields Advisory Services Section Ministry for Planning and Environment~~

~~FOOTING THE BILL~~

Townscape improvement projects cost money, and while many communities acknowledge a desire to improve or enhance some aspect of their environment, the question of 'who pays?' is often the singlemost significant obstacle to implementation.

In circumstances where a wide cr.oss-section of local traders and shop owners enthusiastically endorse a proposal for, say, a mall or other improvements in a main shopping street, then a separate rate can often be introduced with a minimum of fuss as a straightforward way of funding the project. Alas, the realities of life are such that while a proposal may meet with support in principle from traders, there is often a reluctance on the part of some to pay for the work. In the face of such division in the community a Council may often find it easier to re.treat fr.om the proposal rather than suggest funding it through general rate revenue. Such situations have,regrettably, been all too frequent in recent years. It has usually been the policy of the Townscape Advisory Service to recommend that the widest possible funding base be sought for any townscape initiative that· clearly brings benefits to more than just one section of the community. In other words ideally a mixture of outside funding should be used with the balance being drawn from both general and separate rates.

In many cases, it is not realistic to identify one section of the community os deriving greater benefit from townscape improvements thon·a~other. ·The health of any community is closely related to the health of its local economy, its self-esteem and the image which that community presents to the outside world. All these matters are related and they all, to a greater or lesser extent, involve the whole community. It may well be appropriate therefore, for a Council to make public from the start of any consideration of major townscape works that it·expects to raise funds from the whole of the community even when funding from outside sources is being sought to cover some of the cost.

Timing is another factor, which in respect to a Council's revaluations can also be important when attempting to raise funds through the rates. The regular revaluations· which all municipalities conduct can often result in a shift in the rate burden from residential to commercial premises or vice-versa which may make pne or other side of the community more receptive in terms of the share of any new rate burden they might be willing to bear.

78 The main purpose of this paper, however, is to set out brief details of some sources of outside finance that are available for townscape and related works. Some of these sources of funds such as C.E.P. and J.0.L.O.R will be well known to most Councils, but it seems that a few, judging by the f cict that they still seem to have some money in their coffers, are clearly not being patronised to the full.

~~COMviUNITY EMPLOYMENT PRcx;RAMMES~~

Few, if any, municipal Councils will be unaware of the availability of funds under the Commonwealth Community·Employment Programme {C.E.P.). The C.E.P. has earned a reputation among those who have had dealings with it as one of the most complex programmes ever tq be administered by the Federal Government. It is certainly one which, within its own administration, must have created more jobs than any one of the projects which have been put up to it for approval.

The C.E.P. is now well into its second year of operation and the $64 million allocated in 1983/84 has been followed by a commitment of $100 million this financial year and $110 million for 1985/86. Unfortunately in the rush to uriload the $64 million allocated last year, a total of $124 million was committed to projects which roll over into th~s financial year so much of that $100 million for 1984/85 is, in reality, already committed.Only some $40 million remained to be committed this y~ar.The 1985/86 budget however, remains wholly uncommitted but it was this problem of projects rolling into a second year and eating into the following year's budget that prompted some of the recent changes in the C.E.P. funding guidelines announced by the Government.

The revised guidelines make a number .of changes which will assist local government in seeking funds under the scheme. Firstly the level of contribution required from Councils wishing to sponsor projects has been lowered to 20%, of which 10% can be made up to form 'non cash 1 'elements such as supervision, use of Council plant and equipment etc.

However, while a 10% cash contribution from a Council can secure 90% funding for a works programme, some 65% of the grant received will need to be spent on direct labour costs, and this is where some difficulty can arise. Overall, this 65% requirement means that unless the municipal contribution is significantly over 20% of the total project cost it will be necessary for labour costs to account for around 60% of·: the total project cost.

Overall, the current guidelines suggest that projects with a maximum duration of 6 months which cost approximately $11,000 in grant funds {per person ) ore the most likely to be approved. This severely limits expenditure in plant, materials and labour from outside the target group. The scope for projects is thus limited by a requirement for labour intensity which can only be altered by increasing either the cash or 'kind' contri~ bution of the sponsor.

Landscape works can often fall within this category if relatively inexpensive planting and surfacing materials are being used. Projects such as the fabrication, assembly and installation of street furniture or the supervision of projects where schools and the community as a whole can contribute and participate ie: murals, personalised tile mosaics etc. ore all areas in which the required labour content can

79 usually be achieved. In many cases however, the easiest way to reach the requirement will be to have the C.E.P. staff working alongside skilled Council staff provided as part of Council contribution that is over the required 20% minimum.

~~Other important points to bear in mind to increase your chances of obtaining approval for a CEP scheme are:~~

emphasis on the possibility of employing people from the target group ie: long term unemployed, females, aboriginals and the handicapped hos become increasingly important as the C.E.P. projects are assessed.

proposals which include a substantial element of formal as well as on-the-job training will often receive more favourable treatment; Jnclusion of provision for the supery1s1on and administration of the programme into the estimates for the total project. Some 'Councils have floundered under the administrative load of projects where only the basic labour cost was included in the original request for funding. This is also a good a go6d way t6.lift the labour content if administrative staff can be found from within the target group.

avoid projects that involve buildings or complex structures. Experience on C.E.P. projects to date has indicated that using C.E.P. labour on work that is required to meet strict standards and specifications can prove to be a problem.

This paper does not go into detail on either the application proced~re or the long and frustrating process of referrals, and1 in my view, the duplicated.assessment procedures to which each application is subjected. Suffice to say that the Ministry for Planning and Environment has instances of proposals submitted by it for funding approved in about six weeks while other applications have languished somewhere in the pipeline for over ten months.

Applying for C.E.P. funding therefore requires patience and a project that need not be started tomorrow. On the other hand it pays not only to know and cultivate your Council's relationship with local C.E.P. field officers, but also to get to know the people at the Ministry for Employment and Training in Melbourne who can be inv_aluable in helping to nurse your proposal through the system. At the time this paper was written, Sue Marriot was the senior officer responsible for submissions from Local Government and community groups - Tel.658 6148.

At this stage there is no commitment on the part of the Federal Govern ment to extend the C.E.P. beyond 1985/86. In addition, a number of the economic pundits are forecasting a leaner economic time ahead during which the need to curb the deficit may well curtail future initiatives of this type.

80 Overall, however for the next eighteen months, even though the required labour content of proposals has been raised, Community Employment Programmes (including JOLOR roads projects) remain the single largest potential source of external funding for townscape and related projects. For those Councils with both foresight to plan ahead and then the patience to wait, the rewards of a C.E.P. application can be considerable.

~~THE NATIONAL ESTATE PR(x;RAtvtviE~~

Limited funds have been available ·under this programme for some years now and funding has been increased by over 30% this new financial year to nearly half a million dollars. These funds are not in the same league as C.E.P. funds either in scale or purpose and unless you are thinking in terms of a project that involves either a significant historic building, garden or townscape then these funds are not for you.

~~The "National Estate" is defined in the Australian Heritage Commission Act, 1975 as:~~

"those places·being the components of the natural environment of Australia or the cultural environment of Australia, that have aesthetic, historic, scientific or social significance or other special value for future generations as well as for the present community". The criteria currently used by the Committee responsible for recommending projects to be included in a National Estate Programme are: (a) Grants should relate to places, buildings or areas which are either on the Register of the National Estate, have been. nominated for it, or are likely to be considered for it.

These include: Historic places (including buildings, historic towns and precincts, urban open space, historic gardens; industrial. and historical archaeological, as well as Aboriginal sites and natural areas.

~~(b) Criteria used in assessing submissions will include the urgency of each case as well as a need for the funding to encourage further conservation activity.~~

Funds from the National Estate Grants program~e are primarily used either for studies or surveys related to restoration and conservation work. The actual restoration of the fabric of buildings and occasional small key land purchases in or adjacent to areas of particular signi ficance absorb only a small proportion of the programme's funds. It should also be noted that at present the National Trust manages to account for about one-third of the total funds allocated and consider able scope exists for Local Government to increase its share of grants

~~81 1~~

~~made under this programme. Further details can be obtained from Mr David Symes (Tel.6029270) who is responsible for administering the scheme in Victoria. Alternatively you may write to:~~

~~The Secretary Victoria National Estate Committee 235 Queen Street (5th Floor) MELBOURNE 3000~~

~~RELCCATION OR UNDERGROUNDING OF PCMERLINES FUND~~

Power lines can of ten have a major impact on the visual appearance of an area.andin recognition of this the S.E.C. has established a policy of providing up to $1 million per year for relocation and/or undergrounding work in historicolly·significant or environmentally sensitive areas. These funds need to be matched on a dollar for dollar basis by the Council or agency behind the proposal. It should also be noted that the S.E.C. will discount the cost of any proposal by the saving it makes in tree cutting work over a ten year period. In addition, a council may contribute some of its 50% share in the form of works carried out by their own plant and,if a street surface is being relaid in any event as part of the programme, this can mean a very considerable saving.

While it is true that $1 million is only a very_ limited amount, it must be said that matched on a dollar for dollar basis, the programme offers the potential for significant townscape improvements to be achieved in a handful of small centres each year. The project cost to be divided between a Council and the S.E.C. is calculated as the difference in cost between undergrounding and installation/upgrading or replacement (if any) of the above-ground service in question.

This opportunity being offered by the S.E.C. should not be missed by any Council undertaking major townscape work in a significant town environ ment. To date, Councils have been slow to make use of these funds but it is hoped that better use will be made of them in the future.

~~Contact: Mr AT Wilson Chief Engineer (Distribution) S.E.C. 15 William Street MELBOURNE 3000 Tel. 6150433~~

~~THE VICTORIAN TOURISM COMMISSION~~

The potential links between an attractive and functional townscape that draws on the essential or historic character of an area and the·develop ment of a local tourist industry on whatever scale are becoming increasingly recognised.

The V.T.C. hos a long history in assisting local government particulary in country areas with tourism-related developments. It has been claimed that with the exception of a few boat ramps, much of this funding appears to have been allocated firstly to toilet blocks and secondly to the erection of tourist information kiosks but, in fact,the scope of the works being funded hos increased greatly.

82 The Commission will finance works which are to be constructed on Council-owned, Crown land or land owned by a State Government Authority under the control of a municipality, Government Department or Statutory Aiuthority. Applicants may only be a municipality, Government Department or ~tatutory Authority. The grants, approved in 1983/84, totalled nearly two million dollars of which about $850,000 was allocated to such things as picnic areas, lookouts~ walking tracks etc.1 and a further $523,000 to boating and foreshore facilities. If any municipality feels that certain of these types of tourist-related developments could play a major role in a townscape improvement programme in their area, the V.T.C. could become a source of funding for such works. The V. T .C. 1 s funding for these projects falls into four main categories:

~~(i) General Development in which eligible works would include picnic facilities, walking tracks,parking areas, toilet blocks signposting etc.~~

~~(ii) Boating Development ie: ramps, parking areas, signs, picnic and toilet facilities etc.~~

~~(iii) Tourist Access Roads ie: short road connections to public, natural and commercial attractions,~~

~~(iv) Major Tourist Proiects ie:for capital development in tourist project areas eg: overeign Hill, Pioneer Settlement, etc.~~

V.T.C. assistance is usually, but not necessarily, granted on the basis of a $2 Commission grant matched by a $1 local contribution, and preference for allocations is clearly given to projects possessing major tourist potential.

Applications for financial assistance should be sent to the Victorian ToL1rism Commission, 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 . Applications should be received by April 30, 1985 for consideration to be given for an allocation of funds in the following financial year.

~~BI-CENTENNIAL AND SESQUI-CENTENNIAL FUNDS~~

This paper will notdwell in detail on the funds that have recently been made available to assist Victorians and Australians to wish themselves a happy 150th and 200th birthday respectively. Most municipalities will have been circularised on these schemes and I know of many muni cipalities which have taken advantage of these funds to assist with what have often been fairly major works in their areas. The sesquicen tennial funds have now largely been allocated and committed, but in respect to any remaining Bicentennial funding, information can be ob tained from the Sesquicentennial Committee who are also handling the Bicentennial funds in Victoria:

~~Victoria's 150th Anniversary 18th Floor, Collins Towe( 35 Collins Street MELBOURNE 3000~~

~~83 OTHER GOVERNMENT FUNDING SOURCES~~

~~~Road Construction Authority~~

While not having any direct role in funding townscape work, the R.C.A. can often play an important role in improving the environment. of both town centre areas and town entry points where they ore involved in a current or planned future works programme. A small proportion of the budget for any major roadworks project will be allocated to landscaping and the R.C.A. through their Divisional offices and their landscape section in Kew are receptive to suggestions as to how these works might. be carried out to meet local townscope or environmental objectives.

Slight alterations at the planning stage to introduce, for example, trees into roadside areas or planting in particular locations to obtain a locally desired impact can often be achieved within the budget that the R.C.A. might normally allocate to such a project. Recent examples of co-operation between the R.C.A. and T.A.S. hove occured in Dimboola and Morwell and future R.C.A. programmes are being carefully evaluated to ensure that opportunities for co-operative low-cost townscape improvements are not missed.

Area -Specific Funding Sources e.g. The Latrobe Valley Development Fund. This fund was originally established to assist municipalities in the Central Gippsland areas with infrastructure works that would be required os a result of the Loy Yang project. Much of the fund has been allocated to roadworks, but it may well be appropriate, particularly in areas where increased traffic has led to vehicular and pedestrian conflict in commercial areas, for application to be made for funds to overcome these problems as port of a wider townscape initiative. The fund is now administered by the Depart ment of Industry, Commerce and Technology through the Latrobe Regional Commission.

~~Other localised funding sources ore available in the Melton/Sunbury orecs and the Western Region Comm}ssion areas of Melbourne. CONCLUSION~~

While this paper has dealt largely with sources of outside funding, it hos to be recognised that the effective planning and implementation of townscape work will never be achieved without some cost and considerable effort on the part of the municipality involved. It should be recognised however that even within existing maintenance and works budgets scope may exist for programmes of paving, planting and minor street works to be undertaken as part of a gradually staged programme over a number of years. While it is always nice to be able to complete a project in one go, a staged development can often achieve the same result without many of the problems associated with raising large sums of money. In addition, where works are planned by agencies such as the Road Construction Authority, it may well be possible for a municipality to make specific recommendations on various roadside and landscape treatments which can form part of an overall townscape programme and which can still be funded by the R.C.A. in the usual way. It must be said that maximising these different types

~~84 of funding opportunity while still ensuring that each piece,of townscape work still forms part of a unified overall project will involve detailed and careful planning.~~

Finally, I would like to stress the great dangers that are inherent in making any sudden decisions to cut costs in a townscape exercise by either dropping some feature of a project or using a different and cheaper material for some of the work. These changes should never be made unless the whole design for a project is reviewed as a whole. A decision to switch from1 say1 brick pavers to poured concrete is not reversible at a later date and the overall effect upon a design which is built around a certain blending of materials and planting can often be destructive. Therefore, if costs have to be cut, first seek the advice of the designer and then investigate whether the development can be staged to allow completion to the preferred design at a later date. There are already too many instances where carefully designed schemes have been ruined because of an attempt to save relatively small sums of money by, for example, introducing concrete aggregate planters and bins when a particular tile or brick had been recommended to match paving treatment. Attention to detail both when planning and when_ cutting back is an essential part of successful townscape work.

I trust this paper has provoked a few thoughts from among you on the matter of funding, and I would merely echo in conclusion my ~arlier remarks that in townscape as with so many other areas of endeavour on beholf of the community 'taere ain't no such thing as a free lunch'.