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Maribyrnong Planning Scheme Municipal Strategic Statement

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MARIBYRNONG PLANNING SCHEME 21.01 MUNICIPAL PROFILE 16/11/2006 C31 21.01-1 Introduction 19/01/2006 VC37 How will the City of Maribyrnong look and feel and function in 15 or 20 year’s time? The trends which are operating now, and the opportunities for redevelopment and change which exist here, show quite clearly that there will be major physical changes within the city in the foreseeable future. Major and rapid change, amounting to the complete re-creation of some areas, will occur in a horse-shoe shaped area within a kilometre or so of the city’s eastern, northern and western boundaries. On the other hand, in most of the central areas of the city, change, if it occurs at all, will be slow and subtle; consolidating and enhancing existing character rather than re-creation. These physical changes will bring about significant cultural, social, economic and environmental changes. The Council is committed to bringing about these changes. The primary issue is to influence change to achieve the outcomes which are carefully considered, fair and just to all, which will enhance the environment and economic and social opportunities, and bring to life Council’s mission of building a diverse yet cohesive inner city community where everyone can contribute to the life of the city. Achieving the best outcomes from change requires a description of what is wanted. The process of change needs to be carefully managed to increase future opportunities for, choice in, and access to, housing, employment, leisure, recreation, entertainment, shopping, and education. These are the foundations of our quality of life. The Maribyrnong Planning Scheme can be, indeed must be, an important tool for managing physical change in the future. It must not only establish the future direction of change, but also provide effective guidance for consistent decision-making to bring about the desired future. The purpose of this strategic statement is to provide the framework to help us all to do just that. 21.01-2 Policy Context 19/01/2006 VC37 State Following its announcement in 1993 to reform the planning system, the State Government has established a strategic planning framework, consisting of broad principles and objectives, which all Victorian local planning schemes must put into effect. These are described in a number of documents, the most important of which are: The State Planning Policy Framework which applies to all land in Victoria and is incorporated into every Victorian planning scheme. Living Suburbs - A policy for metropolitan Melbourne into the 21st Century which sets out the directions for future planning and development of metropolitan Melbourne for the next 20 years. The strategic directions identified in Living Suburbs are: To build a business environment conducive to sustainable long term economic growth. To enhance Melbourne’s strengths as an international transport, production and communications hub. To strengthen links between Melbourne and regional Victoria to increase the competitiveness of the Victorian economy as a whole. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 1 OF 11 MARIBYRNONG PLANNING SCHEME To enhance Melbourne’s environmental livability. To create a more functional city by better management of Melbourne’s infrastructure and urban development. Transporting Melbourne supports the directions defined in Living Suburbs, by establishing a set of broad aims for transport infrastructure development throughout the metropolitan area. It also sets out a methodology for establishing transport infrastructure development priorities. The City of Maribyrnong's support for the broad directions established by these documents is reflected throughout the Municipal Strategic Statement. Regional The Western Region has many structural and location advantages, including: Closeness to the Melbourne Central Activities District, Melbourne Airport, container shipping terminals, Docklands, Flemington racecourse/showgrounds complex and other major tourist attractions, the Western Ring Road and City Link projects. Large areas of inexpensive land and large sites for development and redevelopment. (Refer to Regional Context Plan.) This combination of regional advantages, when developed, will provide numerous opportunities for economic development and employment creation. In order to maximise these opportunities a number of regional issues, imbalances and problems need to be addressed at both state and local planning and budgeting levels. The most important of these problems are: Environment related needs associated with heritage preservation, development and management of regional parks, waterways and main pathway links (especially along the Maribyrnong River and the coast) and the legacy of contamination. Transport problems associated with lack of development of sub-regional arterial road connections to the proposed Western Ring Road and City Link systems, the airport, docks, national rail network etc. The need to upgrade the public transport system and create new links to the airport and existing and new employment centres. Very high levels of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, and the prevalence of low income levels in most of the Western Region, compared to the eastern suburbs, which create a need to develop most major infrastructure, services and education opportunities to help balance these disadvantages, to overcome poor image perceptions and to encourage full economic development, including, new value adding export oriented industry, commerce (especially office activity), tourism and housing. The City of Maribyrnong is very supportive of the Western Melbourne Regional Economic Development Organisation (WREDO) and is committed to working with it to implement a regional economic development strategy designed to rectify image problems and the current lack of employment opportunities. The Council also recognises a need for all councils in the region to improve communication and consultation with each other and key state agencies - particularly those that have a major infrastructure planning and development role. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 2 OF 11 MARIBYRNONG PLANNING SCHEME MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 3 OF 11 MARIBYRNONG PLANNING SCHEME Local The city was formed in December 1994. Since mid-1995 it has been working on the review of former City of Footscray and former City of Sunshine strategies and policies and developing new detailed strategies and policies. Some of these have been adopted. Others are still being developed. All of them are mentioned at appropriate points in this strategic statement. Policy Relationships The diagram below shows how these policy and strategic planning levels inter-relate and how they have come together in this strategic statement. Policy Levels and Relationships REGIONAL CITY OF MARIBYRNONG STATE POLICY STRATEGIES CORPORATE PLAN LOCAL STRATEGIES & MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC POLICIES eg: STATEMENT (MSS) • Open Space • Housing SUMMARY OF SPATIAL AND • Industrial Development LOCATIONAL ELEMENTS OF STRATEGIES AND POLICIES NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Expanded elements of strategy and policy translated to the micro level. 21.01-3 Physical Description and Land Use Patterns 16/11/2006 C31 Location and Natural Features The eastern boundary of the City of Maribyrnong is only four kilometres west of the Melbourne Central Activities District (CAD) - the business and cultural heart of the metropolitan area. The city is located on the eastern edge of the flat western basalt plains which slope very gently to the south. The major physical feature is the Maribyrnong River, which forms the city’s northern and eastern boundaries. The lower 1.5 kilometres of the river was once an important and busy part of the Port of Melbourne and is still an important industrial area. North of this the river valley opens out and the flood plains form the city’s largest park and sports activity area. Further north and west the river is enclosed in a steep sided valley where there is the potential to re-establish its original vegetation and natural character. Another important feature is Stony Creek. This creek does not cut deeply into the plain and offers potential for a significant linear park system. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 4 OF 11 MARIBYRNONG PLANNING SCHEME The generally flat landscape, with views of central Melbourne near the edge, has attracted a mix of residential and industrial development and has produced a unique “look” which is really only understood and valued by those who live here. It is not uncommon to find scenes which contain surreal combinations of peaceful watercourses with water birds and animals, interrupted by stark tanks, chimneys and other industrial structures alongside well maintained workers cottages of the 19th century. General Land Use The city has an area of about 3,130 hectares (31.3 square kilometres) of which, in 1995, about: 1,365 hectares (44%) was zoned for residential use (a small portion of which was used for non-residential activity such as open space, private schools, and some business activity). 630 hectares (20%) was zoned for industrial use and activity. 560 hectares (18%) was reserved and used for a range of public purposes including railway reserves, arterial road reserves, state schools and tertiary colleges, public hospitals, electricity distribution, and a number of other state and local government activities. 235 hectares (7.5%) was reserved for public open space (though not quite
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