VICTORIA 1976-77 TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING BOARD THIRTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT FINANCIAL YEAR 1976-1977 PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PURSUANTTO SECTION 5 (2) OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1961 By Authori~'F F. D. ATKINSON, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE No. 104-10383/77-PRICE $1.20 Thirty-Second Annual Report 235 Queen Street Melbourne, 3000 The Honourable the Minister for Planning, 500 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000 Sir. In accordance with the provisions of Section 5 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1961, the Board has pleasure in submitting to you for presentation to Parliament the following report on its activities during the twelve months ended 30th June, 1977. Yours faithfully, '.I H. W. HEIN, Chairman J. J. BAYLY. Deputy Chairman J. R. BAGHEL, Member P. S. COLCLOUGH, Member W. H. CRAIG. Secretary TOVVN AND COUNTRY PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS AND PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AS AT 30TH JUNE, 1977 MEMBERS H. W. HEIN . Chairman J. J. BAYLY Deputy Chairman J. R BAGHEL (MRS.) . Member P. S. COLCLOUGH .. Member PRINCIPAL OFFICERS Secretary .. W. H. CRAIG Director of Planning (Statutory) P. J. BROWN Director of Planning (Strategic) . V. R. C. WARREN CONTENTS The Year in Review 7 Strategic Planning 9 Statements of Planning Policy 9 Other Studies 18 Regional Planning 19 Growth Centres 25 Statutory Planning 27 Planning Schemes being prepared by the Board 27 Planning Schemes Approved 36 Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Area 39 Interim Development Orders 40 Urban Renewal 41 Legislation 42 Committees 44 Promotion of Planning 46 Board Members and Staff 49 Appendices 52 7 THE YEAR IN REVIEW This has been an important year provisional committee in East Gipps­ for the Board and for planning in land. The Board provides suppor­ Victoria. New concepts of decen­ tive services for both. Of particular tralisation and regionalisation have significance in the evolution of been introduced as part of a pro­ regional planning in Victoria, was gressive plan to bring planning the establishment of the Upper closer to the people. In addition Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges to this, the increasing scope of Authority. This Authority's Act planning generally has involved the provides specifically for the Autho· Board in a greater range of activi­ rity to undertake a strategic plan­ ties over recent years. ning role as distinct from the local (and permit issuing) role of muni­ As part of the decentralisation pro­ cipal councils. Councils in the gramme, the first two regional Central Gippsland region are in­ offices were opened at Warrnambool terested in the establishment of a and Bendigo. The new offices are similar authority in that area and the intended to help local councils and necessary legislation is expected to residents with planning problems by be introduced in the Spring Session providing on-the-spot assistance of Parliament. Studies in the and, in Bendigo, also to service the Central Highlands and Loddon­ Loddon-Campaspe Regional Plan­ Campaspe regions were completed ning Authority. and a comprehensive programme is it is intended to open offices in under way in Central and East Traralgon and Wodonga before the Gippsland. end of 1977 and other locations will be considered later. The Board's involvement with the Melton-Sunbury project was main­ As another facet of this new ap­ tained. The bulk of the work 1S proach, the first formal meeting of organised by the independent the Board. in a centre outside Mel­ Melton-Sunbury Interim Co-ordinat­ bourne, was held in Bendigo in ing Committee, with the Board's May. Other such meetings will be Chairman as Chairman of the Com­ held three or four times a year in mittee and two of the Board's various parts of the State to enable officers seconded full-time to the Board members to gain a first-hand project. knowledge of particular areas and to meet informally with Councillors The Board was also involved in and Council staff to discuss local reporting on urban renewal pro­ planning problems. posals pursuant to the Urban Renewal Act 1970. The State-wide strategic studies progressed well. Considerable pro­ An increasing volume of statutory gress was made in the development planning was approved including of policy programmes with empha­ principal planning schemes for the sis on the completion of pro­ City of Sale, the Town of Bairns­ grammes already started and the dale, the Shires of Alexandra, review and implementation of ap­ Korumburra, Portland (Heywood proved policies. Overall, there is Township). Rosedale and Tambo now much more emphasis on the (Lakes Entrance), Wangaratta Sub­ implementation of statements of Regional, Lake Cairn Curran and planning policy. Lake Glenmaggie. Twelve interim Interest in regional planning con­ development orders were approved. tinued and is being constantly one to be administered by the fostered by the Board. There is a Board, one by the Loddon-Cam­ regional planning authority in the paspe Regional Planning Authority Loddon-Campaspe region and a and the balance by councils. 8 In the metropolitan area, work on Board members and staff continued the substantial amendments Nos. 3 with their promotion of planning: and 21 continued, several other visiting many areas to discuss and amendments were approved and explain to councils and the public others are being processed. the advantages of planning; assist­ ing municipalities contemplating The preparation of the Board's planning control or preparing interim own schemes advanced well. The development orders or planning Maldon scheme, adopted last year, schemes and maintaining liaison is awaiting approval. In the mean with regional planning authorities time, the interim development order and the Melbourne and Metropolitan is being administered in accordance Board of Works. with the scheme and a detailed con­ servation study has been commis­ A growing awareness of the im­ sioned. portance of planning has been The schemes for Lorne and Lake reflected in the increasing number Tyers to Cape Howe were exhibited of requests for speakers, articles, and approval is expected shortly; project material and general infor· the scheme for Lake Nillahcootie is mation. approaching exhibition stage; and one for the Clunes Swamps has The Chairman, Deputy Chairman been commenced. Significant steps and senior officers have been invited have been taken in the planning of to speak at conferences and semin· the Gippsland Lakes area and a con­ ars in the metropolitan area and sultants' report, to assist in the country centres and to prepare formulation of a strategy plan, has articles for publication in various been completed. journals. As part of the Board's recent policy The Board's programme of publish­ to hand planning control back to ing material and holding seminars the local councils, the Board's and displays to stimulate interest control in several municipalities, and develop an understanding of including parts of the Ovens-Upper planning has expanded as more Murray area, has been revoked. resources have become available. The administration of several of the other smaller schemes will similarly With the retirement of Mr. R. D. L. be handed back where counc1ls have Fraser as Chairman, the former introduced satisfactory alternative Deputy Chairman, Mr. H. W. Hein, controls. In the South Western was appointed to the position and Coastal area, a new approach involv­ Mr. J. J. Bayly became Deputy ing local people early in the prepara­ Chairman. tion of planning schemes is being tried, preparatory to phasing out the The staff continued to carry out their Board's direct involvement. duties with efficiency and enthusi­ This change of emphasis in the asm despite the difficulties created Board's statutory responsibilities by the split in the central accom­ will enable the Board to give greater modation, the establishment of attention to promoting planning, ad­ regional offices and new initiatives, vising and assisting councils and and the increasing work load which thus streamlining the statutory pro­ all officers have been called upon cess. to bear. Skilled and experienced The Board's representation on com­ staff are the backbone of any good mittees continued to consume a organisation and the Board is considerable proportion of its fortunate in having built up over the resources. years the quality of staff it has. 9 STRATEGIC PLANNING The work of the Board in its view of the policy for Western Port strategic planning role has con­ (No. 1) was finalised and the revised tinued to be heavy and has been policy approved in October. 1976. concerned primarily with the follow­ Reviews of the policies for the ing activities: Dandenong Ranges (No. 3) and the 1 _ The preparation of statements River Yarra {No. 4) continued and of planning policy and the are nearing completion. The imple­ review and implementation of mentation programme for the approved statements. Macedon Ranges policy (No. 8) is well advanced, through the work of 2. The provision of technical and the advisory committee established administrative services to by the Board. regional planning authorities and provisional regional plan­ New policy programmes relating tc ning committees. rural land use and urban waterways 3. The undertaking of regional were commenced. studies intended to provide the Overall there is now much more basis of the preparation and emphasis. in the Board's policy co-ordination of regional poli­ programmes. on the implementation cies and plans. of statements of planning policy. The nature and range of the Board's The importance of implementation work in these fields is continuing to has been referred to in previous widen and at the same time there reports but cannot be stressed too is emerging a greater public aware­ much. To be effective. practical ness of the planning process and a means of implementation must be growing concern by people for the worked out for such statements. quality of the environment in which This naturally involves many autho­ they I ive.