1950 VICTORIA FJFTH ANNU Aij REPOR'r OF THE TOWN AND COUNrrRY PLANNING HOARD FOR THE PERIOD 1sT JULY. 1949, TO 30TH JUNE, 1950 PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 4 (3) OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1944 [.4pprorimate Co.•t of RPpori.-Preparatlon-not given, Prinblng (700 c.opie•). 1\75.]. 't\J) Ji.utllorit~ J. J. GO!JRLEY, COVERNMENT PRINTER MELBOURNE. No. 22.-[ls. 9d.].-l0912/50. INilEX Page Amendm~nts to the Act .. 5 Bridge-road Widening Scheme 14 Circular No. 2-~- Definitions 6 Education of To\\>'11 and Country Planners 20 Eildon Sub-Regional Planning Scheme 15 Enlargement of Hume Weir (Tallangatta Township Removal) Hi General 21 Housing Commission of Victoria 17 Juterim Development Orders in the Metropolitan ·Area 6 Land Subdivision in Shires 12 Land under Section 14 of the Land Act 12 Land Use-Zoning 12 Latrobe Valley Sub-Regional Planning Scheme 8 Local Government Act~~Acquisition of Land 11 I~ocal Government Act--1949 Amendmentt~ 10 Local Shopping Centres 19 Maribyrnong River Bridge and Footseray-road 16 Model Ordinance .. 6 National Parks in Victoria 20 Planning Schemes 7 Portland Harbour 16 Premature Development in Outer Suburbs 17 Regulations under the Act 6 Schemes under Section 594 of the Local Government Act 10 Staff .. 21 Swan-street Bridge 14 Teachers' Training College Sites 17 Uniform Valuation of Land 13 Visits by Board .. 20 Warrigal-road~High-street .Junction 17 Y allourn North 16 '~ bit Town and Country Planning Board. FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT. 30th September, 1950. The Honorable, the Minister of Public Works, Public Offices, Melbourne, C.2. SIR, 1. In accordance with the requirements of Section 4 (3) of the Toum and Country Planning Act 1944 (No. 5043), the Board has pleasure in submitting to you, for presentation to Parliament, the report on its activities during the twelve months ended 30th J nne, 1950. 2. The Board held 47 weekly meetings and was represented by one or more of its members at conferences held in various metropolitan and country centres. THB ACT. 3. In the Board's Fourth Annual Report, mention was made of a Bill to amend the Town and Country Planning Act under which the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of \Vorks would be appointed the responsible authority for the preparation of a planning scheme for the Melbourne metropolitan area. The Bill was amended in the Legislative Assembly in some minor details, the most important of which related to the more precise prescription of the area in respect of which the scheme was to be prepared. The amendment in question set out specifically those municipal districts to be included in their entirety and those to be included in part only together with an indication of the extent to which they would be included. The Bill as amended was later approved by the Legislative Council in October, 1949, and was proclaimed on 11th January, 1950 (Act No. 5404). 4. During the past six months the Board has been in close collaboration with officers of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of \Vorks who were gathering data for an existing-conditions plan of the metropolis pending the appointment of a Chief Planner. 5. Early in June, the ::VIelbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works appointed Mr. E. F. Borrie as its Chief Planner, and action is now being taken to recruit the ne~'essary technical staff and proceed with the preparation of a planning scheme. 6. In its last report, the Board set out in paragraphs 8 and 9 a series of difficulties encountered in the interpretation and administration of the Act and suggested that early attention be given to these matters. · 7. On 3rd February last, the Board addressed to you a minute in which it amplified the reasons for the desired amendments. 8. Two additional amendments were sought in the minute of 3~d February-one asking for the insertion of a further item in the Schedule of the Act to read " Railway, tramway, road, water, and air transport of goods and passengers". This was an omission iu the original drafting, the error being of little consequence until the passing of the amending Bill requiring the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works to undertake the preparation of a plan for the metropolis. The amendment was immediately sought by that body and was urged by various other authorities. It is vitally necessary that it be provided for at the earliest possible moment. 9. The other recommendation contained in the minute of 3rd February was that the preparation of a town planning scheme should be regarded as "permanent works and undertakings" within the meaning of the Local Government Act. The Board's request was in support of urgings by the Municipal Association, and it is pleasing to record that the last amendment to the Local Government Act has made the desired provision. 6 10. The Board appreciates that little opportunity has been available for the submission of these necessary amendments to Parliament, but this does not lessen their need. It is with regret that the Board records that, as at the date of this report, no action has been taken to have the necessary amendments to the Act prepared for submission either to the Cabinet or to Parliament. 11. The Board has consulted the Crown Solicitor from time to time regarding the interpretation to be placed on various words and sections of the Act, and his opinions may result in further amendments being required. REGULATIONS. 12. During the year, the Board gave consideration to certain amendments to Regulations No. 1-" The Preparation and Submission of Planning Schemes". Certain amendments were necessary to bring the Regulations into line with the Act as amended in 1948. These were approved by the Governor in Council on 27th September, 1949. 13. As at 30th June, the Board is almost in a position to submit to you Regulations No. 4, which will consolidate existing regulations covering the preparation and submission of planning schemes and insert some additional clauses. 14. It is proposed that the appendix covering -mapping notation to be used in the preparation of schemes should be amended so that the plans other than those for lodging can be prepared using lines, symbols, hachures, &c., in black and white, over which colours could be used where necessary. This alternative method of showing the purpose of schemes has become necessary because of the demand by public authorities for copies of the schemes when on statutory exhibition and the desirability of such copies being produced quickly and cheaply. CIRCULAR No. 2-DEFINITioNs. 15. During the year, the Board prepared a circular containing a list of definitions suitable for use in the preparation of planning schemes. The need for such a circular was apparent because of the wide variation in definitions used in planning scheme ordinances. This circular is for the guidance of municipal and other authorities, and, while any responsible authority may use these definitions, or others considered applicable to their conditions, it is considered desirable to obtain some uniformity in the use of terms generally employed in planning-scheme ordinances. MODEL ORDINANCE. 16. Owing to the wide diversity of clauses in various planning-scheme ordinances submitted to the Board, a model ordinance is in course of preparation by the Board. It is anticipated this will be of assistance to all authorities preparing planning schemes. Until this ordinance can be completed and circulated the Board invites inquiries from all consultants or municipal authorities who might be in some doubt as to the form the ordinance should take. INTERIM DEVELOPMENT ORDERS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA. 17. The Town and Country Planning (Metropolitan Area) Act 1949 appoints the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Warks as the responsible authority for the preparation of a planning scheme for the area as set out in the Schedule to the Act embracing the whole of the metropolitan area, and gives it the power of making and enforcing Interim­ Development-Orders. 18. When such an order is proposed the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Warks is required to consult with the council of any municipality affected before the publication of the order. 19. At the coming into operation of the 1949 Act a number of Interim-Development­ Orders was in force. The Act provides that these orders shall all be re-submitted to the Minister before January, 1951, failing which they will lapse. The Board has directed the attention of all interested councils to this, also to the further provision of the Act which requires all orders to be re-submitted every twelve months either in the original form or with modifications. 7 PLANNING SCHEMES. 20. The most important development in town and country planning in the State during the year was the presentation of the Board's report on the future development of the Latrobe Valley Sub-region, and the completion of a planning scheme for the area. The scheme concluded its three months' exhibition period on 26th May, and, since then, the Board has been engaged in the determination of objections lodged by various public authorities and individuals. 21. During the twelve months under review, the detailed planning schemes for the towns of Morwell and Moe-N ewborough within the sub-regional area ended their statutory exhibition period and, at 30th June, were almost completed by the councils concerned preparatory to being forwarded to you for consideration by the Board. The scheme for Traralgon has been considerably delayed, but it is understood that the council is now expediting its preparation having recently appointed town-planning consultants. 22. Other schemes which completed the three months' statutory-exhibition period were those prepared by the councils of the Cities of Nunawading and Hamilton and the Shire of Broadmeadows.