~ =~~ =~·. ;.;~. AN ~NeAL REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT AUGUST 1987 -AUGUST 1988

CITY OF BERWICK SEPTEMBER 1988

CONTENTS

-If PAGE

SUMMARY -- 1 PREAMBLE 2

DEVELOPMENTS ON ACTION PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED BY THE 3

POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF BERWICK - AN UPDATE 7

ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY OF BERWICK IN 1987/88 . 14

PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE - THE CURRENT SITUATION 16

FOUNTAIN GATE/NARRE WARREN DISTRICT CENTRE 21

ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPORT ISSUES IN THE CITY OF BERWICK 23

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF BERWICK 30

APPENDICES 32 1. ·SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT ON FOUNTAIN GATE/NARRE WARREN DISTRICT CENTRE 2. SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES ON CITY OF BERWICK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

! 711.4099451 The City ofBerwick and the . BER:C State Government metropolitan policy : an annual review and assessment, August

)

. I ( SUMMARY

The present submission constitutes the third response from the City of Berwick to the State Government Metropolitan Policy during the past twelve months. Accordingly this submission reviews developments during 1987/88 and highlights necessary future action for dealing with continued high levels of population growth and development in the Berwick-Pakenham growth corridor. - Much has been achieved in meeting local community needs for the provisiQn of essential infrastructure during the past year, and the central planning structures necessary for the implementation of the Metropolitan Policy are now in place. While additional/improved public educational, health, recreational, transport and welfare services and facilities have been provided or given funding approval there can be, in Council's opinion, no justification for complacency during the next twelve months as the urbanisation and general development rates of the municipality accelerate. The current priorities for service/facility provision in the City of Berwick requiring State Government action and resources as outlined in this submission may be summarised as follows: * declaration of Fountain Gate/Narre Warren as a district centre to ensure the planned development of this vitally important, strategic precinct * construction of the Hallam-Narre Warren Bypass at the earliest opportunity to overcome the worsening Princes bottleneck * land acquisition at the Narre Warren railway station to accommodate an adequate modal for the City Centre and further upgrading of railway and bus services and associated infrastructure * funding approval for the employment of municipally based urban planning and community development personnel to assist existing staff in developing and implementing local strategies to meet the special needs of the municipality's present and future residents * improvements to the provision of local police and emergency services by the early construction of the new Berwick police station, land acquisition for the proposed Endeavour Hills police station and site investigation and reservation for future ambulance station * provision of high priority health and welfare facilities including the Endeavour Hills Community Health Centre, Narre Warren Senior Citizens Centre and Brentwood Maternal and Child Health/Pre School Centre. The public outlays necessary for the further development of the City's physical, social and economic infrastructure are substantial but it is stressed that a very high priority must be given to the allocation of State Government financial and other resources for the further development of infrastructure in the City of Berwick as the principal growth municipality in the metropolitan area and indeed .

- 1 - PREAMBLE

Following the release of the State Government Metropolitan Policy in August 1987, Council lbdged two submissions dealing ~ith the implications of such policy for the City of Berwick with various relevant departments and instrumentalities. Council's initial response (November 1987) emphasised that the anticipated unprecedented levels of population growth arid development in the City would necessitate the co-ordinated planning and provision of physical, social and economic infrastructure to ensure that the diverse needs of the municipality's ratepayers and residents are met-·in an appropriate and .. timely manner. Council's further response (May 1988) stressed that the establishment by the State Government of appropriate and adequate planning and resource allocation structures· in liaison with Council and the implementation of efficient ind effective decision making and review processes would be of absolutely critical importance. The present submission presents a review and assessment of the Metropolitan Policy during the past year from Council's viewpoint as the most rapidly developing municipality in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. The achievements during this period are described and the issues which require further action are identified in this review. Reference is made to various matters raised in the Council's previous responses to the Metropolitan Policy and to ensuing developments in this regard. Council wishes to take this opportunity to reiterate the vitai importance rif partnership between the State Government and Local Government in planning and managing rapid change in the Berwick-Pakenham growth corridor and the willingness of the City of Berwick to co-operate with the varjous relevant State Government authorities in jointly ensuring that the diverse needs of the present and future residents in the municipality are met in an efficient and effective manner.

-.. 2 - I DEVELOPMENTS ON ACTION PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED BY THE CITY OF BERWICK

At the meeting in November 1987 to consider Council's initial response to the Metropolit~n Policy, a number of actions related to the planning,· provision and development of local infrastructure were proposed by the City of Berwick. This section of the present submission summarises recent developments on these matters. Action Proposed Recent Developments

1. The local State Parliamentarians CounciJ appreciates the to meet with Council on a six willingness of local State monthly basis to monitor and Parliamentarians to again meet review development and with Council. infrastructure provision in the municipality.

2. The Cabinet to hold a meeting in Local State Parliamentarians have the City of Berwick in the near advised that this proposal is not future. feasible. · 3. The Urban Infrastructure Local State Parliamentarians have Committee of Cabinet to meet on ·advised that this. proposal will be site in the major growth given further consideration. corridors. 4. The Members of the Metropolitan Council has continued to initiate Services Co-ordination System to contact with officers of the meet regularly with City of M.S.C.S. Unit. Following Council Berwick representatives to representations the City of facilitate local government Berwick is represented on the input particularly with respect Local Government Working Group . .to State Government infra- Council is also actively structure provision participating on the Berwick­ responsibilities. Pakenham Liaison Committee. 5. The Metropolitan Services The Minister for Planning and Co-ordination System to endorse Environment has advised that in principle Council's response Council's submissions have to the Metropolitan Policy as the provided a comprehensive picture framework for infrastructure of the concerns of the City of provision in the municipality. Berwick. .6. The infrastructure needs of the As above . City of Berwick to be brought to the attention of Cabinet. 7. The Cabinet through the Urban A number of specific requirements Infrastructure Committee of have been resolved or are Cabinet to give directions to presently being given further relevant departments to give consideration. funding priority for municipal services and facilities in the City of Berwick.

- 3 - 8. The Cabinet through the Urban As above. Infrastructure Committee of Cabinet to ensure that funding priority is given for the provision of infrastructure in the City of Berwick which is. a State Government responsibility. 9. The Metropolitan Services Council is actively participating Co-ordination System to be in the Berwick-Pakenham Corridor allocated adequate resources Liaison Committee which provides and to be provided with the information and advice to the. _ opportunity to provide Ministry for Planning and information during the State Environment and which provides an budgetary process in liaison opportunity for local government with the City of Berwick. authorities in the area to collaborate on matters of mutual interest. 10. The Ministry for Planning and The Minister for Planning and Environment to provide funds Environment has ·advised that an for staffing to the City of allocation of $165,000 has been Berwick for forward planning made this financial year for activities.· special studies in the growth corridors including the preparation of structure plans and for flora/fauna, archaeological and heritage studies as required. No State Government funding has been allocated to the City of Berwick for the employment of additional planning personnel to assist with forward/strategic planning activities at the local level . 11. The State Government to purchase The need for a.24 hour police suitable land for future station in Endeavour Hills has facilities as a matter of been identified by the State urgency, particularly for the Government and the proposal to Endeavour Hills Police Station, establish such a facility has been Ambulance Station and Narre included in the Victorian Police Warren railway station as major Force capital works programme. transport interchange. Council has again stressed to the Minister the need for the State Government to acquire or reserve a suitable site as soon as possible. Inspection of Narre Warren railway station undertaken with Metropolitan Transit Authority representatives on 29th June, 1988 and submission in response to Metplan Draft Strategy forwarded by Council in August 1988.

- 4 - 12. The State Government to formally Comprehensive submission prepared designate Fountain Gate as a by Council in September 1988 for District Centre during 1988. consideration by the Minister for Planning and Environment. The Minister during a visit to the City on 9th-September, 1988 advised that this matter will be further considered in 1989 following the completion of the Westernport Area Commercial Centre~ study and further work on the structure plan for the growth corridor. 13. The following short term infra­ structure requirements to be funded from the 1988/89 State Budget:

* Fleetwood Maternal and Child An applicatio~ for capital funding Health and Pre School Centre of the proposed Brentwood Maternal and one further pre school/ and Child H~alth and Pre School infant welfare centre Centre, to commence at the beginning of First Term 1990, has been forwarded by Council to Community Services, Victoria for consideration in 1988/89. The Minister for Community Services has advised that Council's application will be given full consideration. * construction of Endeavour The Minister for Health, during a Hills Community Health Centre visit to the City on Friday, and initial operation of Narre 2nd September, 1988, advised that Warren Community Health funding to the level of $154,000 Programme for the Narre Warren community health service had been approved in the 1988/89 State Budget. * construction of new Berwick The Minister for Police and Police Station Emergency Services has indicated that the construction of the proposed new Berwick Police Station could commence in 1990/91 to be completed by 1993 subject to funding constraints. * rebuilding of Berwick railway Council understands that funding station for improvements of this facility has been approved but has not been formally advised to this effect.

I . - 5 - * improvements and upgrading of The Metropolitan Transit Authority Hallam railway station proposes to develop a major car park at Hallam railway station and Council appreciates the benefits this will have in redirecting traffic and-parking away from the City Centre at Narre Warren as long term car parking. * development of Fountain Gate Planning for this facility has post primary school commen£ed, the projected opening date being 1991. Council is represented on the planning committee for this post primary school. * construction of freeway Detailed submission on the extension (Hallam-Narre Warren proposed freeway extension Bypass) (Hallam-Narre Warren Bypass) and the need for short term improvements (particularly provision of third lane) to the presented to the Minister for Transport following which the Minister advised during a visit to the City on 6th September, 1988 that $1.96 million will be available for the provision of a third lane on the Princes Highway between Hallam and the Berwick Bypass and that an allocation of $2.5 million had been made for the construction of additional on-off ramps ~t the Clyde Road/ interchange. * day care service for the aged Adult day care funding approved by and purpose built senior the Minister for Community citizens centre. services in September 1988. Submissions for major capital grants for senior citizens facilities in Narre Warren (first priority) and Endeavour Hills (second priority) lodged with Community Services, Victoria to be considered in the context of the 1988/89 Home and Community Care State Plan. It can be appreciated from the above summary that several of the proposed courses of action suggested by Council in late 1987 still warrant further consideration by the relevant State Government instrumentalities and that given recent trends in population growth and development in the City there is some urgency for these particular matters to be resolved in the near future.

- 6 - POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF BERWICK - AN UPDATE

In Council's initial response to the State Government Metropolitan Policy it was noted th~t the population of the City of Berwick as at June 1987 was 55,000 persons. By mid 1988 the City's population had exceeded 60,000 persons. As at mid April 1988 as detailed in Council's further response to the Metropolitan Policy, there wera forty-seven (47) subdivision stages under construction, the residential subdivisions incorporating a total of 1,470 lots. · _

By early August 1988 there were sixty-four (64) subdivision stages under construction, the residential subdivisions incorporating a total of 1,500 lots. Such recent levels of subdivisional developments have again been without precedent in the history of the City of Berwick. The growth in dwellings during 1987/88 as compared to the prevfous two years is highlighted in Figure 1. During all months except September the number of new dwellings was higher than for the corresponding month in both 1986/87 and .1985/86. Figure 2 depicts the growth in dwelling approvals over the fifteen year period 1973/74 - 1987/88. With more than 1,800 dwellings approved .in 1987/88 there was a massive 23 per cent increase over the total for 1986/87 of almost 1,500 dwellings. In Council's second response to the Metropolitan Policy, revised municipal population projections were presented further to the Population and Household. Forecast for Metropolitan Melbourne (Information Bulletin No. 1) released in 1987 under the Metropolitan Services Co-ordination System. Recently the Department of Management and Budget released population projections for statistical local areas in the Melbourne Statistical Division during the period 1986-2001 and the Ministry for Planning and Environment has updated statistics in the first population and household forecast information Bulletin. These most recent State Government forecasts for the City of Berwick are considered below. Table 1 gives population projections for the City of Berwick over the period 1981-2001.

- 7 - FIGURE 1 · MONl HLY DWELLING GRAPH 1985 - 1988 CITY OF BERWICK 17f~i\ ...

170 [ 163 16.6.A. . .1 \ 160 158 _./'. I ' 158 ~ \ ;· "-./ .. 150 .\ _/ 158 \ 15!/. 156 I~ ·,;r 45 . 145 ./ 145 i"'.. ~ 1401 140 \ ;:;·~'-~-A39 1~6'-. z 13oL \/ 131 :J I 1bs ~ 120r r o 11 o C ;\11 1 u_ E I \· ~ I o 1 oo ~\ I ~ ,. I ~ I \ I \ ~1 1o.c'- ~ go . \; \ 86 I gz w \ /' I rn .1 84· -v / "- 1 :2 80 r 79 ~~ I ~ 70 I "-J ~ 1 69

. ::~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~ SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL· AUG SEP MONTHS fv1UNICIP.AL YEAR 1985-86. ------· --- fv1UNICIPAL Yt_AR 1986-87.------M.UNICIPAL YEAR 1 9 8 7-88. --·-·-··--BOtW'H3-

- 8 - FIGURE 2 DWELLING GRAPH 1 97 3 - 1 988 1819 CITY OF BERWICK

-

/1482 .. 1400 - ' 13 62 ) 1300 ~ I .. 215 v v 1200 \ 12 po. ..

; 1100 ./

VI 1000 I t=! I : _, .. ;: ~,._ 926. . ... I ./1\ v 900 '. ---1 896. lJJ v .. 831 ~ 855. .. ~ j 3: BOO I 0 -

I 700 7 \693. -+-· I. I lL 0 /· ~· 6(8. I 600 ' v . ---- 591. a: 510. w 500 m -I .: ==:::> 400 ' :z: I/ .. 345 .. - .. 300 I

200 ... •.

100 I ,. ,....: '-0 co o-: 0 ..-- N m ~ Lrl -.o ,....: cri ·, r- r- r- r- co co co co co co. co co .. co 0.. 0.. . 0.. 0.. 0.. 0.. 0.. 0.. o- 0.. 0.. 0.. 0.. ..-- ..-- ..-- ..-- ..- . . , MUNICIPAL YEARS.

I

-' 9 - Table 1 Estimated Resident Population and Population Change City of Berwick 1981-2001 Year 1981 1986 . 1991 1996 2001 Source: Ministry for Planning and Environment, "A Population and Household Forecast for Metropolitan Melbourng" (Information Bulletin No. 2), September 1988. It can be seen that during 1986-1991 the average numerical increase in population is almost double that for the preceding five year period with the average annual populatioD growth rate being 8.1 per cent. Perhaps even more noteworthy is the average increase in population of almost 8,000 persons per annum during 1991-1996, this representing an average annual growth rate of 8.9 per cent and constituting an absolute level of growth two thirds greater than for 1986-1991. ·· - A similar pattern is evident, as would be expected, with regards households (occupied private dwellings), the projections for the City of Berwick being given in Table 2. Table 2 Estimated Households and Household Change Cit_y of Berwick 1981-2001 Year ·Population Annual Increase No. % 1981 10,400 820 6.9 1986 14,500 1,420 8.3 1991 21,600 2,520 9.6 1996 34,200 2,440 6.3 2001 46,400 Source: Ministry for Planning and Environment, "A Population and Household Forecast for Metropolitan Melbourne" (Information Bulletin No. 2), September 1988. It is particularly noteworthy that the average annual increase in the number of dwellings during both 1991-1996 and 1996-2001 is considerably greater than for the period 1986-1991.

- 10 - Detailed statistics highlighting annual changes in the population and households (dwellings) in the City of Berwick are presented in Table 3. Table 3 Projected Population and Households City of Berwick 1986-2001

lni t i al Population Smoothed Population Smoothed Households

Total Change .on jTotal Change on I Total Change on !Average Household Si~e I Year Population Previous !Population Previous !Households Previous rcsmoothed Population ""I Year I Year .. , Year I and Households) I I I I I 1986 50221 I 50221 I 1_4458 I 3.5 I 1987 55478 525? 1 54368 4147 1 15681 1224 1 3.5 I 1988 60471 4993 1 58802 4434 1 17001 1319 1 ~.5 I 1989 65229 4758 1 63558 4756 1 18421 1420 3.5 1990 69773 . 4543 I 68657 5099 1 19949 1528 3.4 1991 74115 4342 1 74115 5458 1 21591 1642 3.4 1992 82791 8676 1 80830 6716 1 23714 2123 3.4 1993 91014 8223 1 88079 7248 1 26024 2310 3.4 1994 98824 7810 1 95891 7812 1 28535 2511 3.4 1995 106255 7431 1 104300 8409 1 31262 2726 3.3 1996 113336 7081 I 113336 9o36 1 34217 2955 3.3 1997 121110 -n74 I 119850 6514 1 36433 2216 3.3 1998 128498 7388 I 126629 6n9 1 38761 2328 3.3 1999 135525 1021 1 133676 7046 1 41203 2442 3.2 2000 142204 6679 1 140978 · 73o3 1 43760 2556 3.2 2001 148505 6301 I 148505 7526 1 46422 2663 3.2 I I Source: Department of Management and Budget, "Population Projections for Statistical Local Areas in the Melbourne Statistical Division 1986-2001" (July 1988). A comparison between these figures and forecast populations for other municipalities reveal that by 1991 the City of Berwick will have the fifteenth highest population among Victorian municipalities. By 1996; when the City's population will be over 113,000 according to State Government projections, only the cities of Keilor, Knox, Waverley and Whittlesea will have larger populations than the City of Berwick. The Department of Management and Budget projections mentioned previously include age specific forecasts and the relevant data for the City of Berwick over the period 1986-2001 are presented in Table 4.

- 11 - Table 4 Projected Population by Age City of Berwick 1986-2001

1986 Est. Resident Pop 1991 Projection 1996 ProJection 2001 ProJection ------1 Age Group 1 Population Percent of IPopulation Percent of IPopu!.ation Percent of IPopulatlon Percent of I I Total I Total I Total I Total I ______I ------~------1------~------1 I 0·4 I 5273 10.5XI 6789 9.2XI 10218 9.0XI 12740 . 8.6XI 5·9 I 4654 9.3XI 6761 9.1XI 9490 .8.4XI 12452 ~.4XI 10·14 I 4469 8.9XI 6196 8.4XI 9309 8.2XI 11654 8.0XI 15·19 1 4112 8.2XI 6558 8.8x1 9053 8.0XI 11657 7.8XI 20·24 1 4023 8.o:q 6973 9.4XI 10292 9.1XI · 1H96 7.7XI 25·29 5115 10.2XI 6945 9.4XI 11401 10.1XI 13142 8.8XI.. 30·34 5146 10.2XI 7405 10.0XI 11347 10.0XI 14670 9.9XI 35·39 4388 8.TXI 6374 8.6XI 9878 8.7XI 13226 8.9XI 40·44 3051 6.1XI 5175 7.0XI 7710 6.8XI 10963 '7.4XI 45·49 , 2292 4.6XI 3729 5.o:q 6669 5.9XI 8952 6.ox1 50·54 2005 4.0XI 2852 3.8XI 4944 4.4XI 8000 5.4XI 55·59 1774 3.5XI 2455 3.3XI 3819 3.4XI 5987 4.0XJ 60·64 1359 2.TXI 2033 2.TXI 2958 2.6XI 4312 2.9XI 65·69 1012 2.0XI 1469 Z.OXI 2302 2.0XI 3136 2.1XI 70· 74 696 1.4XI 1045 U::(j 1673 1.5XJ 2422 1.6XJ 75+ 851 l.TXJ 1355 1.8XJ 2274 Z.OXI 3496 2.4XJ TOTAL 50220 100.0XI 74115 100.0XJ .113336 IOO.OXI 148504 100.0XJ ______I I I I

Source: Department of Management and Budget, "Population Projections for Statistical Local Areas in the Melbourne Statistical Division 1986-2001" (July 1988). It is beyond the scope of this submission to consider the City's changing age profile in any detail but the continuing high proportions of pre school and primary school aged children and adults aged 25-39 years in both the short and medium term are clearly evident. The steady growth in the proportion of the population aged 60+ years is also noteworthy. The Department's population projections report in considering the south fringe sector of the metropolitan area (comprising Berwick/Pakenham, Cranbourne, Flinders, Hastings and Mornington) states: "This region is projected to increase in population to a greater extent than any other in the MSD, from 189,200 to 401,400 in 2001. Within the region, the most substantial increases are for Berwick/Pakenham (from 57,000 in 1986 to 185,800 in 2001) and Cranbourne (from 45,100 in 1986 to 100,900 in 2001). While the rate of population growth for Berwick/Pakenham increases over the forecast period, the growth slows for Cranbourne from 1986 to 2001. the total number of households for Berwick/Pakenham are projected to increase significantly over the forecast period. Corresponding to this increase is only a very slight reduction in the average persons per household for these SLAs, as the population moving into the region is expected to comprise persons in age groups with low household headship rates. The total number of households for Cranbourne also increases but slows after 1996 due to constraints on available land."

- 12 - These most recent State Government analyses further substantiate the fact that the City of Berwick is the principal growth municipality in the Melbourne metropolitan area and that unprecedented levels of population growth and development will continue to be experienced in the City of Berwick for the foreseeable future as a direct result of the policy of the State Government on the future development of Melbourne.

- 13 - ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY OF BERWICK IN 1987/88

A summary listing of Council's activities in the planning, delivery and development of ~arious services and facilities during the past year is given below. * Regular monitoring, analysis and interpretation of population growth and development trends and patterns. * Preparation of general submissions on the implications for the City of Berwick of the Metropolitan Policy; ... * Lodging of submission on local public transport requirements to the Metropolitan Transit Authority in response to the Met Plan Draft Strategy. * Identification of local health planning issues and priorities for consideration by the Health Department Victoria in the preparation of the regional health plan.

* Assessment of present and future needs for provision of nursing home~ and hostels for the aged for the information of the Health Department, Victoria and the Department of Community Services and Health. * Presentation of submissions on the Hallam-Narre .Warren By-Pass and related matters to the Minister for Transport and the Road Construction Authority in response to the Metropolitan Arterial Road Strategy. * Forwarding of planning reports on necessary future primary/post primary schools to the Ministry of Education. * Adoption of eight cell plans for future development areas and partial completion of a further twelve cell plans prepared in liaison with relevant government authorities and property owners, the latter including several which are close to being finalised. * Short-medium term forward planning for provision of additional/new pre school, maternal and child health, youth, recreation and general community facilities in the 1988/89-1991/92 major works programme in liaison with relevant State Government departments as appropriate. * Construction and commencement of operation of additional maternal and child health and pre school centre and second child care centre plus commencement of construction of third child care centre incorporating both long day and occasional care. * Completion of additional recreation reserve and lawn bowls facility, commencement of development of Wilson Botanic Park, implementation of thira year of the 1985/86-1989/90 playground development programme; reconstruction of existing oval and various minor recreation facility improvements. * Commencement of construction of central services complex and design preparation for major indoor leisure centre in Endeavour Hills.

- 14 - * Finalisation of negotiations for partici~ation in pilot Children's Services project and appointment of project officer to review State and Local Government activities in the planning, delivery and co~ordination of early childhood programmes. * Completion of reconstruction of Narre Warren North Road, construction of unsealed section of Robinson Road/King Road,-further development of Heatherton Road duplication, construction of section of Centre Road and undertaking of numerous other minor road development/redevelopment works. * Provision of innovative home support and r.espite support services for the aged and disabled as demonstration projects under the Home and. Community Care Programme. * Support and assistance in the establishment of the Berwick District Arts Council and lodging of submission for funding of a municipal Community Arts Officer. * Registration of interest in participating in the proposed blockfunding/broadbanding pilot project for local government authorities under the Home and Community Care Programme. * Conduct of public seminar on planning and development in the Berwick-Pakenham growth corridor in May 1988 in liaison with the Ministry for Planning and Environment and preparation for conduct of strategic planning seminar in liaison with the Western Port Development Council Inc. and the of Pakenham. * Approval by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services for Council participation in the Good Neighbourhood Programme in conjunction with the . The City of Berwick is committed to meeting the needs of local ratepayers and residents for the provision of various municipal facilities, as far as available resources permit. In 1987/88 Council bor.rowed $2.00 million to' undertake the major capital works programme and Council will borrow $2.30 million in 1988/89. A summary of the 1988/89 loans programme for the City of Berwick is presented below. Priority Project 1988/89 Borrowings

1 Central Services Complex $700,000 2 Endeavour Hills Leisure Centre $1,000,000 3 Fountain Gate Lawn Bowls Pavilion $100,000 4 Brentwood Pre School and Maternal and Child Health Centre $100,000 5 Wilson Botanic Park $200,000 6 Sydney Pargeter Recreation Reserve Pavilion $200,000 $2,300,000

- 15 - PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE - THE CURRENT SITUATION

In Council's Initial Response to the Metropolitan Policy considerable attention was devoted to the need for a diversity of local infrastructure in both the short and long term. This section of the present submission provides a summary of developments during the past twelve months .for the various facility/service types assessed in Council's first report on this matter. Public Transport - * Upgrading of car parking facilities at the'Narre Warren railway station undertaken by Metropolitan Transit Authority with major car park proposed at Hallam railway station. * Metplan Draft Strategy released in May 1988, such strategy only tentatively identifying the ·Narre Warren/Fountain Gate centre for a modal interchange link. Communication Services * Increasing need for the prov1s1on of public telephones and post boxes in the new residential estates still evident. * A post box has been installed in the Warrenwood estate but others are required. No new phone boxes have been installed in the municipality in recent times. Police Services * The need for a police station in Endeavour Hills accepted by the Police Department, proposal for facility established in capital works programme, but site acquisition/reservation not achieved to date. * Construction of proposed new Berwick Police Station programmed to commence in 1990/91 subject to availability of funds. Fire Services * Continuing rapid development rates will result in the need for additional resources to be provided to the municipality's four fire brigades (comprising three voluntary Country Fire Authority brigades and the Doveton Urban Fire brigade, a staffed C.F.A. station) in the futute. Ambulance Services * While it is acknowledged that an ambulance station cannot be justified in the short term, action still needs to be taken to acquire or reserve suitably located land for the future construction of such a facility. Hospitals * Minister for Health has advised as to substantial funding for upgrading of casualty facilities at the Dandenong and District Hospital.

- 16 - * Minister for Health has very recently .announced approval in principle for an additional ten beds at the Berwick Hospital. Community Health Centres * Funding to the level of $154,000 for commencement of operation of the community health service for Narre Warren/Fountain Gate very recently announced by the Minister for Health on 2nd September, 1988. * Health Department, Victoria has acquired land from Council for· development of proposed purpose built community health centre in Endeavour Hills. Neighbourhood Houses/Community Development Programme * Submission forwarded to the Minister for Community Services, in July 1988 requesting special funding for employment of ·two community development officers over a ·2-3 year period. * Increased funding for two neighbourhood houses approved by the Minister for Community Services under. the Neighbourhood House Co-ordination Programme 1988/89. Maternal and Child.Health Services * Fleetwood Maternal and Child Health Centre commenced operation early 1988. * Reconstruction of Berwick Maternal and Child Health Centre proposed during 1989/90. * Capital grant of $12,000 requested by Council for construction of Brentwood Maternal and Child Health Centre to commence operation early 1990. Nursing Homes/Hostels * Minister for Health approved $2.1 million State Government capital grant for 30 bed nursing home at Berwick Hospital in September 1988, the Commonwealth Government to meet recurrent funding to the level of $600,000 per annum. * Regional Churches of Christ in Victoria and Tasmania allocated $907,000 under the Aged Residential Care Programme for 40 bed hostel in the municipality on a site to be determined, Council having allocated funds toward land acquisition in the 1988/89 Budget. Senior Citizens Centres * Retrospective capital grants for extensions undertaken in 1986/87 at the Narre Warren Senior Citizens Centre and Endeavour Hills Senior Citizens Centre have been approved and an appeal against the decision not to fund extensions at the Hallam Senior Citizens Centre has been lodged with Community Services, Victoria. * Submissions for major capital grants ($240,000 per. project) for senior citizens centre developments in Narre Warren and Endeavour Hills

- 17 - during the 1988/89-1990/91 Home and Community Care Programme triennium have been forwarded to Community Services, Victoria. · · Domiciliary Services * The Home Support and Respite Support pilot projects, funded under the Home and Community Care Programme Demonstration-.Grants, to continue for a further six months until March 1989. * Council's submission for funding of an adult day activity and support service in 1988/89 approved by the Minister for Community Services, · · this project to commence operation in early 1989. * Extension/improvements to meals service for the aged (both "meals on wheels" and dining room components) introduced early 1988 with additional funding und~r the Home and Community Car~ Programme. Pre School Services * Fleetwood Pre School Centre commenced operation early 1988. * Reconstruction of Berwick Pre School Centre proposed during 1989/90. * Capital grant of $30,000 requested by Council for construction of Brentwood Pre School Centre to commence operation early 1990. * Submission from Council to upgrade third group services to fifth group services rejected by Community Services, Victoria in May 1988 and additional third groups during 1989 subsequently proposed by Council. Family Day Care and Child Care Centres * Kalparrin Child Care Centre, Berwick, commenced operation early 1988. * Narre Warren Child Care Complex (long day and occasional care) under construction to be completed in early 1989. * Extension of family day scheme not approved during 1987/88 and submission for funding·~of Special Needs Child Care Worker unsuccessful. Out of School Hours Care * Narre Warren Station Primary School after school care programme relocated to St Michael's Primary School, Berwick early 1988 due to undertaking of major capital works at the former. * No expansion of either after school care or holiday care services during 1987/88 due to funding constraints under the Children's Serv~ces Programme. Local Youth Services * Youth resources and information centre in Narre Warren proposed during 1989/90. * Hours of employment of Endeavour Hills Youth Development Officer extended late 1987.

- 18 - * Submission lodged with Division of Youth Affairs for youth worker I subsidy of $16,000 per annum over three years to permit continuation of the existing outreach youth work service in the municipality. I * Youth programmes funding applications currently under consideration by various State Government departments, particularly the Department of Labour. Sporting Ovals and Courts * Singleton Recreation Reserve and second bowling green at Fountain Gate Bowls Complex developed early-mid 1988. * Reconstruction of second oval, Fountain Gate Recreation Reserve, undertaken early 1988. · * Proposed projects for 1988/89 include oval development (first stage) at Hallam North Road Recreation Reserve; pavilion construction at Sydney Pargeter Recreation Reserve; ·tennis court provision in Mossgiel Park and pavilion construction at Fountain Gate Bowls Complex: * Minor capital grant of $20,000 approved by Minister for Sport and Recreation for expansion of Playground Development Programme in 1988/89 (Year 4 of 5-Year Plan). Indoor Recreation Centres * Land acquisition for Endeavour Hills Leisure Centre completed early 1988 and facility design currently in progress. * Construction of Endeavour Hills Leisure Ce~tre (Stage 1) to begin early 1989.with operations to commence early 1990. Libraries * Construction of major branch library at Fountain Gate in 1989/90-1990/91 proposed to Dandenong Valley Regional Library Service, such facility to replace existing small branch library in Narre Warren. * Proposed Fountain Gate Branch Library to possibly incorporate facilities for a Citizens Advice Bureau and/or library service regional headquarters. Primary Schools * Funds allocated in 1988/89 for construction of Berwick Lodge Primary School to commence operation early 1990. * Funds have been allocated in the 1988/89 budget for planning of Maramba Primary School (Narre Warren) and Endeavour Hills East Primary School with proposed opening dates early in 1991. Secondary Schools * Funds have been allocated in the 1988/89 budget for planning of Fountain Gate Post Primary School (Narre Warren) with proposed opening early in 1991.

- 19 - Roads * Director General of Transport has advised, further to METRAS and the South-Eastern Metropolitan Area Traffic Study, that transport requirements to support planned developments in the Berwick-Pakenham corridor will be addressed in studies undertaken by the Ministry for Planning and Environment prior to the preparatiQn of the corridor structure plan. * Minister for Transport has very recently announced that work will commence shortly on the construction of additional on-off ramp~ at the Clyde Road/Princes Freeway interchange, an. allocation of $2.5 million having been allocated for this project to Be completed by 1990. * Minister for Transport has very recently announced that $1.96 million will be made available for the provision of a third lane on the Princes Highway between Hallam and the Berwick Bypass, this project being brought forward by two years. * Minister for Transport has advised that the construction of Hallam section of the Princes Freeway to link the Mulgrave Freeway and the Berwick Bypass (estimated cost of full freeway works $35+ million; partial construction $20 million) is a longer term project with financial outlays precluding commencement of construction within the next ten years. Chairman of the Road Construction Authority has agreed that the timing of the freeway connection by-passing Hallam and Narre Warren would be reviewed as part of the corridor planning process.

- 20 - FOUNTAIN GATE/NARRE WARREN DISTRICT CENTRE

In Council's initial response to the Metropolitan Policy considerable attention was devoted to the vital importance of Fountain Gate/Narre Warren being formally declared a District Centre at the earliest convenience in order that proper planning for the development of the centre could occur. Such formal declaration was also urged as a matter of high priority, in the more recent further response from the City of Berwick. It is appreciated by Council that the Westernport Area Commercial Centres Study, jointly funded by the Ministry for Plannjng and Environment, relevant councils (including the City of Berwick) and the Westernport . _ Regional Planning and Co-ordination Committee, will develop a retail/commercial hierarchy in the context of established development trends and growth potential of the area. While this investigation will provide fundamental guidance for the future planning of the Berwick­ Pakenham corridor, Council is not convinced that this assessment must be completed prior to the suggested declaration of Fountain Gate/Narre Warren being further considered. It is considered appropriate to briefly refer back to the 1981 report on Metropolitan Strategy Implementation published by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works further to the Metropolitan Strategy endorsed in principle by the State Government in 1980. This previous policy stated: "Many of these (district) centres will be within the existing urban area. In time, other centres will need to be provided in fringe growth areas where a commitment to commercial development has been made through planning consent ... Of the centres suggested for possible future designation, Berwick, Sydenham, Mill Park and Broadmeadows are within Special Use Zones 9 and 9A. The objectives of these zones reflect the Board's intention that these areas develop as a civic focus for their surrounding area. At present, these centres are within developing suburbs and do not have the levels of surrounding population to support the full range of district centre commercial and community facilities. In many cases they do not have high public transport accessibility. By indicating its intentions at this stage, the Board anticipates that these centres will form a focus for the growth of new commercial and community facilities. Once an appropriate population base and an adequate range of facilities have been provided, designation as a district centre can occur." · At that time only the first stage of development of the Fountain Gate Regional Shopping Centre had been completed and the population of the City of Berwick was approximately half that of the present population. In the present policy Fountain Gate/Narre Warren is identified as a potential future district centre at the subregional level and one of the stated measures with regards activity centres and office/retailing policies generally and district centres specifically is to continue investigation of relevant centres for designation as district centres. While it is apparent

- 21 - that the abovementioned Com~ercial Centres Stu~y is one such ~n investigation, it is felt by Council that on the ground development in the Fountain Gate civic and commercial complex in itself justifies the prompt declaration of Fountain Gate/Narre Warren as the district centre for the Berwick-Pakenham growth corridor. Council can see no reason why Narre Warren/Fountain Gate should not now become one of the outer strategic centres (along with Broadmeadows, Frankston, Dandenong, Ringwood, Sunshine and Greensborough) as this centre is obviously of particular significance for the future of the Berwick­ Pakenham corridor and is already undisputedly providing an important focus for the growth of office, commercial and other new non-retail developments in the area. A submission on the urgent need for Narre Warren/Fountain Gate to be formally declared a district centre has previously been presented to the Minister for Planning and Environment for consideration further to the comments made on this most important issue in Council's previous responses to the Metropolitan Policy. Such submission is attached as an appendix to this report. Council has been advised that this matter will be further considered in 1989 following the completion of the Western Port Area Commercial Centres Study.

- 22 - ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPORT ISSUES .IN THE CITY OF BERWICK

The Metropolitan Policy acknowledges that the prov1s1on of transport infrastructure and associated services is a major factor in ensuring efficient functioning of the metropolis. More specifically the policy states: "Urban sprawl has made it difficult to provide an efficient system of public transport in outer areas, and there is growing concern about the isolation of those living on the fringe without access to a car because. of disability, age or financial circumstances." It is also noted that the Metropolitan Arterial Road Access Study (METRAS) establishes objectives and a strategy for developing the arterial road network over the next ten years and that comprehensive plans are being developed for the State transport industry (the State Transport Authority Plan: STAP) and for the metropolitan transport system (the Metropolitan Public Transport Industry Plan: METPLAN) for the next fifteen years. This section of the present submission considers key accessibility/ transport issues in the City of Berwick which warrant further action by the State Government. * The Hallam-Narre Warren Bypass and METRAS The Hallam/Narre Warren By-Pass refers to the section of the Latrobe Valley or Princes Freeway which is as yet unconstructed from the Mulgrave Freeway to the Berwick By-Pass road. This particular road is the support system for the Princes Highway East and provides the freeway route connection to the upgraded highway further east through the energy corridor of the Latrobe Valley into . The south eastern corridor and its extension into the Berwick-Pakenham Corridor (including Cranbourne) is serviced primarily by the Princes Highway East and the South Eastern/Mulgrave Freeways. West of Stud Road this spinal system is supported by a grid system of arterial roads on approximately a 1.3 kilometre spacing. The east/west roads in this network are: 6 lane/divided to 4 lane/divided High Street 4 lane/undivided to 4 lane/divided .Waverley Road 4 lane/undivided Ferntree Gully Road 6 lane/divided between Highway and Freeway 4 lane divided/undivided North Road 6 lane divided -Wellington Road 2 lane Centre Road 4 lane/undivided - Police Road 4 lane/undivided Heatherton Road 4 lane/undivided Lower Dandenong Road - Cheltenham Road 4 lane/divided Hutton Road - Greens Road 4 lane/undivided Thompson Road 2 1 ane

This road system totals to 46 road lanes for traffic, of which 10 are on the Highway and the Freeway. The remaining 36 lanes are on arterials which, in the main, also provide access to residential properties.

- 23 - East of Stud Road, the road network is interrupted by the and the City of Dandenong Commerci.al Centre. ' The Princes Highway continues on at 6 lanes divided, the Mulgrave Freeway at 4 lanes divided, but the support network of arterials disappears because of the interruption of the Ranges and the commercial centre at Dandenong and reduces to: Burwood Highway 4 lane/divided Wellington Road 2 lane Heatherton Road 4 lane/divided Pound Road/Shrives Road 2 lane (continuation of Hutton Road/Greens Road) Thompson Road 2 lane These roads are the only possible support roads to the Highway/Freeway system and presently supply only 14 road lanes against the 36 which are available to the west of Stud Road. The central and southern parts of the are provided for by Burwood Highway (4 lane divided) and Wellington Road (2 lanes), a total of 6 traffic lanes. The City of Berwick is supplied by the Princes Highway (6 lane/divided), Mulgrave Freeway to the Princes Highway, Hallam (4 lane/divided), Heatherton Road (2 lanes); a total of 18 traffic lanes, only eight of whi~h are on arterial roads. By the time Narre Warren (the City centre) is reached, the Freeway has ceased to exist, and the Pound Road/Shrives Road system has joined the Princes Highway. The Princes Highway East reduces to a 4 lane divided-road and Thompson Road has continued to the south as a 2 lane road. The corridor system into Cranbourne has been strengthened by the continuation of the Mulgrave Freeway as the picking up the south of the City of Dandenong to supply the Westernport section of the corridor. This system provides Cranbourne with 8 lanes of divided limited access traffic lanes. Cranbourne also has considerable arterial road connections into the Frankston corridor. -Map A shows the details of the road system and indicates clearly how the whole road system is throttled at the Princes Highway _between Hallam and the Berwick Bypass to a 4 lane divided road with frequent intersections and unlinked traffic lights. This section of highway, because of the throttling effect, is placing in jeopardy the $15 million being invested annually further east in the Latrobe corridor in Highway duplication and improvements. The whole economic argument of that investment is being compromised by this present inefficient section of the Princes Highway East. The provision of a first stage of this freeway standard road should be investigated by building a lower order road within the reservation with at grade intersections using the on/off ramps as a first stage.

- 24 - ...... ,.. ------~M:ap=A~------

CITY. OF BERWICK. ARTERIAL ROADS AND TRAFFIC LANES.

WEST OF STUD ROAD. 10 LANES ON FREEWAY AND HIGHWAY FOR TRAFFIC. !6L/Dl BURWOOD 36 LANES ON ARTERIAL ROADS FOR TRAFFIC. lEAST /WEST) d 0: EAST OF STUD ROAD. 10 LANES ON FREEWAY AND HIGHWAY FOR TRAFFIC. 14 LANES ON ARTERIAL ROADS FOR TRAFFIC. lEAST (WESTI AT NARRE WARREN. NO FREEWAY. 4 LANES ONLY ON PRINCES HIGHWAY. 4 LANES ON ARTERIAL ROADS FOR TliAFFIC. lEAST/WEST) AT BERWICK. 8 LANES ON BY-PASS AND HIGHWAY. NO ARTERIAL ROAD LANES FOR TRAFFIC. IEAST/WESTJ

D CENTRE 0:

z -' 0 <( 1- l:l ~ 0: ~~------~G~------~~~H~E~A~T~H~,E~R~T~O~N~~ 3 !!tLIUDl

CHELTENHAM (4L!Dl 0 ci ::J GREENS o: RD. ~ HUTTON RD (4LIUD) (2Ll l:lz z0 r zUJ UJ <( 0: D => 0 z CD PRINCES <( z 0 VI <( l:l 0: I z LJ i= I Vl z <( UJ UJ ::t: 12 D I <( >- l:l -' z 3 LJ 0 UJ THOMPSON RD as 0: D 0: (2L) z <( <( z (2L) D In this way considerable cost can be deferred in not having to build a number of major structures. The construction of the east bound lanes only from the Mulgrave Freeway to Belgrave-Hallam Road would provide considerable relief to the Princes Highway by encouraging industrial traffic to remain on that freeway extension and gain access to the industrial area south of the Princes Highway by using Hallam Road and not having to right turn off the Princes Highway. This system will also provide·another access into Endeavour Hills thereby reducing evening peak delays at' Heatherton Road .. interchange with the Mulgrave Freeway. The Metropolitan Arterial Road Strategy was carried out and completed before the release of the Government's new strategy for Melbourne. METRAS is finance based and has ranked road projects on the basis of road funds likely to be available over the next ten years and not on road needs. These decisions were made prior to the Government's New Strategy for Melbourne being released, but, more importantly, the three years of consultation and planning being well complete before that Strategy was determined. The result is that no major arterial road projects are included east of Dandenong in the next ten years. The METRAS system is a bandaid approach to problem solving in the traffic and road requirement area, and has the great da~ger of encouraging some authorities to allow facilities to deteriorate so that they might benefit from the next isssue of bandaids. The system should be redesigned to be more positive in its approach, cost effective, and encourage improved traffic planning techniques by not permitting a continuation of present policies. In summary, the Council wishes to point out that it recognises that there are other locations in Melbourne and the State where traffic congestion is also a problem. However, lack of previous planning has made the problems in these areas unsolvable or very expensive to solve. In the case of the City of Berwick, forward planning has been developed from the commencement of the City in October 1973, and through these methods the Council has been able to develop and finance all of its infrastructure and road commitments to cope with the development as it has proceeded. In identifying these issues and with Council's forward planning, Council has provided for solutions to its traffic and transport problems by providing-adequate road reservations for the future and where necessary purchasing land to improve intersections or widen reservations in the future. Council is now concerned that traffic problems of a regional, corridor· and State importance should be solved at minimum cost to Government by extending that forward planning.

.- 26 - In general terms, Council's forward planning should be supported by Government, with the Government reviewing its priority on road projects to those which have the highest importance in being able to be solved at least cost, thus providing the maximum benefit to the community from that expenditure. For example, the Government is committed to the expenditure of $15 million annually in the Latrobe Valley on the duplication and improvement to the Princes Highway East. The economic benefit of this expenditure is doubtful with the congestion and increased delays in the Hallam/Narre Warren section of the Highway. The re-allocation of these funds to the west for one year will remove these delays and justify the continuing expenditure further to the east in the corridor. The option of constructing a lower level road within the bypass reservation with at grade intersections initially should be the preferred option. * Rail and Bus Services and METPLAN METPLAN will provide a framework to assist decisions on the future development, operation, staffing and financing of Melbourne's public transport system over the next fifteen years. It will guide capital investment, priorities for service improvement, the introduction of new services and improved technologies, workforce ·planning and development and financing of operations. · A METPLAN Discussion Paper, released in October 1987, outlined possible strategies for the long term development of public . A Draft Strategy was then developed by The Met taking into account the results of the consultation programme and released in May 1988. It identified future markets for Met services, provided a patronage growth target, set out the strategy for improvement and expansion of the system to achieve this target, and the means of funding this strategy which has now been finalised. The Draft Strategy used as its basis the Metropolitan Policy in relation to district centre designation and METRAS to which it is complementary and other strategy documents which tend to be enshrined in fixed, unreviewable, inflexible planned statements based on decisions at a fixed point in time. The strategy should contain a mechanism for review on a regular basis, say triennial. This would provide a means of adjustment to the plan and the priority of its future as Melbourne's growth continues in line with Government policy and the influence of other Government decisions not yet planned for. In the City of Berwick's case local planning has provided for a complete road hierarchy system for the municipality which has made full provision for road based public transport on a 1 km to 1.5 km approximate grid basis. This system has also established a wider road reserve on this grid basis where an extra 6 metres of road reserve are provided on one side of the road pavement so that additional road lanes can be provided in the future for bus lanes or other forms of transport.

- 27 - The current extensions to the Fountain Gate Regional Shopping Centre when complete and opened in April 1989, will make this centre one of the largest free standing shopping centres in the metropolitan area. Amazingly this centre was initially ignored as the location for a modal interchange link when the planning for the needs of the railway station complex at such an important centre involves undeveloped land available adjacent to the site. At the present time there is industrially zoned land abutting the south western portion of the Narre Warren railway station site which has a planning permit to subdivide with a loop road off Centre Road. This site and the form of road proposed would provide for the ideal road based . _ content of the modal interchange which is required at this station for the future. This layout would separate the road based public transport mode from the present passenger and limited car parking area currently under construction. Urgent action is required to secure part of this industrial site to preserve this option to the benefit of the travelling public and the proper design of the road access in the future. Council appreciates the proposal to provide a major car park at the Hallam railway station and the benefit this will have in redirecting this traffic and parking away from the City Centre at Narre Warren as long term car parking. The recognition of the Narre Warren Centre was partly covered in the Draft Strategy without identifying Narre Warren as that centre and in the reference to the fact that as the Berwick-Pakenham corridor develops, modal interchanges will be required at most of the stations between Dandenong and Pakenham. Some notice was taken of Council's submission to the Draft Strategy in the finalisation of METPLAN as Southern Region proj'ects now include a modal interchange at Narre Warren railway station. However, there is still a need for District Centre recognition for Narre Warren/Fountain Gate and also the support infrastructure following such a decision. A further concern of Council in the area of public transport is the fact that the Berwick railway station, destroyed by fire in May 1978, has yet to be replaced by a permanent facility. This railway station is an important link in the transportation network within the Berwick-Pakenham corridor and it is considered essential that an adequate standard of facility be provided for the rapidly expanded population. Council is aware that additional lighting and resurfacing of the carpark will be carried out in 1988/89, and these works will be much appreciated. However, it is now in excess of ten years since the station building was destroyed and Council considers that having regard to the increasing use of the facility and its key location in the corridor, that the reconstruction of the Berwick railway station should proceed as soon as possible. * Doubly Articulated Trailers and STAP The State Transport Authority Plan was announced on 1st December, 1986. In the context of overall transport industry development, STAP focusses on the developments needed in V-Line to meet the country and interstate transport needs of the community over the next fifteen years. Four discussion papers

- 28 - on STAP were circulated in August 1987 outlining the study's background and approach and the Draft Final Report was released in mid 1988. This report introduces the possibility of the use of 8-doubles (a semi-trailer towing a trailer) into the road transport system and the assumptions are too broadly based to include the issues which are of most concern to Council. The document is a strategy one for policy and broad based planning at a State level, and appears to be reasonable in general terms except for the casual way the 8-double issue is introduced and the broad assumptions made. The 8-doubles currently in use in Victoria and New South Wales are operating on roads in arid zones of low rainfall. In the Victorian case they are operating with special permits in a controlled situation which minimises overloading and likely pavement damage. The pecking order for priority on road vehicles where road trains, semi-trailers with trailer (8-doubles), passenger coaches, and cars are operating in the Northern Territory and parts of New South Wales is that the road trains and semi-trailers with trailers remain on the road pavement. Passenger coaches and cars have to take to the road shoulders to leave the larger vehicles on the paved area, otherwise the damage to vehicles and their windscreens is extremely high from thrown stones. The Draft Final Report identifies social and environmental impacts, but does not consider the environmental impact of other drivers meeting 8-doubles on rural roads in constrained conditions or where curved alignments are involved. In these conditions the 8-double taking up the majority of the pavement and the road shoulders is generally insufficient to provide safe refuge for cars, nor is consideration of the pecking order understood or incl~ded in these aspects. The 8-doubles presently in use in Victoria are milk tankers on a line haul situation picking up only one commodity on a daily.basis. If 8-doubles come into use on a general basis they will not be commodity restricted. For example, they could not be used for grain haulage, which is seasonal, without being permitted to haul general freight at other times. This will mean that other commodities, such as fuel, will be hauled by the same rigs. This will immediately double the hazard to the community if one of these tankers gets into trouble on the roads. The fire brigades and emergency services will have double the volume of inflammable fuel to dispose of, at least four times the area in a suburban situation to evacuate, and, in the case of ignition, a totally unmanageable fire and disaster situation within the community. At the present time the majority of semi-trailers are garaged on private property in residential areas in Melbourne. There are many examples of the vehicles parking in residential streets, fully loaded, over-night because the owner-drivers are only sub-contracting their services. There has also been some uncertainty in recent times over by-law making powers to control these vehicles. Due to the present transport industry practice of contracts haulage, the community will probably be expected to tolerate these vehicles being garaged in residential areas also, unless the State Government is prepared to legislate differently. · It is unreasonable to expect the community to tolerate these vehicles in residential streets, an issue which is totally ignored in the consideration of social and environmental impacts.

- 29 - Council has consistently given a high priority to physical and social planning functions since the proclamation of the municipality and readily acknowledges that forward planning is as important at this stage of the City's development as at any time in the past, if not more critical in several respects given prevailing population growth and development forecasts. · While the City of Berwick has well established town planning and community service departments there is a need for the employment of certain additional staff in these areas at a time when municipal resources are-­ stretched to the limit. Accordingly Council seeks financial assistance from the Ministry for Planning and Environment and Community Services, Victoria for the engagement of planning and community development personnel. In June 1988 Council presented to the Minister for Community Services a submission for funding of an innovative community development programme within the framework of the Social Justice Strategy. A copy of this submission is appendixed to this report. Briefly speaking this proposal involved the employment of two community development officers over a 2-3 year period to: * advise as to new/innovative community development initiatives in achieving more equitable access to opportunities, services and facilities for all members of the community in accordance with the Social Justice Strategy * assist with the implementation of improved human service delivery and co-ordination arrangements between various relevant agencies * facilitate the establishment and strengthening of social and community networks in rapidly developing residential areas * enhance local community participation in the planning and provision of a range of community services, especially at the neighbourhood level. The Minister at that time indicated that Council and Community Services, Victoria should seek the views of the Westernport Regional Consultative Council on this proposal. After some delay, the Regional Consultative Council endorsed in principle the community development programme as outlined in Council's submission and the advice of senior personnel at that Department's central office as to ways of funding this initiative was sought. Council was subsequently advised by the Westernport regional office of Community Services, Victoria as to the action taken at regional level but no response from the Department's head office has been received by Council to date. Advice as to whether State Government funding may be forthcoming for the employment of the proposed community development officers is needed in order that Council may either formulate a more detailed proposition (if appropriate) to secure such financial assistance or investigate alternative funding sources. It is of some concern that four months after Council's submission was presented to the Minister and forwarded to the Regional Consultative Council for consideration, Community Services, Victoria has

- 30 - given no indication as to whether funds may or would not be made available for implementation of this project. As mentioned previously in this submission a number of special planning . studies for the Berwick-Pakenham corridor are either in progress or will be undertaken in the near future along with the preparation of the corridor's structure plan in collaboration with the Berwick~Pakenham Corridor Liaison Committee. Council is aware that the municipality's cell plans, a number of which are yet to be completed, will be of vital importance in the formulation of the overall planning strategy for the corridor and that the Town Planning Department is under considerable pressure in coping with the general statutory and forward planning requirements of a rapidly expanding municipality. Accordingly Council requests the State Government, through the Department for Planning and Environment, to provide funds for the employment of a support strategic planner. Such officer will assist existing planning staff in the preparation of additional cell plans, and the monitoring and review of all cell plans once they are initially adopted. Experience has shown that cell plans should be reviewed every 2 to 3 years and with the projected increasing rate of development in the corridor it may be necessary to review the plans every 18 months to 2 years. With further rezoning in the City of Berwick it is likely that some 24 cells will ultimately require detailed local planning. In the 2112 years since the current cell planning programme was commenced 7 cell strategies have been finalised with a further 1 adopted in principle. Without assistance in the area of forward planning it is likely that, as the pressure of development intensifies, Council will not be able to continue to provide the current high standard of service and advice to developers and landowners. The employment of an additional officer will benefit the development of the corridor by allowing Council to accelerate its existing cell development programme and to allow for the implementation of a programme for regular review of the cell plans once adopted. In conclusion Council trusts that favourable consideration will be given to these requests for financial assistance to be allocated for the employment of the abovementioned urban planning and community development personnel which are needed by the City of Berwick to undertake the designated functions associated with particular, in fact somewhat unique, local requirements.

- 31 - APPENDICES:

1. SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT ON FOUNTAIN GATE /NARRE WARREN DISTRICT CENTRE

2. SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY SE RVICES ON CITY OF BERWICK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

- 32 - SUBMISSION TO

THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT -

HON. T.W. ROPER, M.L.A.

ON

DECLARATION OF FOUNTAIN GATE/ NARRE WARREN AS A DISTRICT CENTRE

CITY OF BERWICK

SEPTEMBER 1988 CONTENTS

Page

1. HISTORY 1

2. THE CENTRE TODAY 2

3. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH 3 3.1 Commercial & Administrative Growth 3 3.2 Road & Transport Development 3

4. THE CITY OF BERWICK AS PART OF THE BERWICK/ PAKENHAM GROWTH CORRIDOR 4

5. DESIGNATION OF FOUNTAIN GATE/NARRE WARREN AS A DISTRICT CENTRE 4

6. CONCLUSION 5 - 1 -

1. HISTORY The City of Berwick was created in 1973 when severance from the Shire of Berwick occurred. The City's eastern boundary was the Cardinia Creek which coincided with the extent of land zoned for urban development in the major 1971 land release. The City of Berwick was therefore set to become a major growth area. The population in 1973 was only 22,000 but this has already grown to 60,000 and the development rate is now increasing rapidly. Since the formation of the municipality the new suburb of Endeavour Hills has appeared where once there were cattle grazing (current population in excess of 20,000) and the townships of Narre Warren and Berwick have expanded dramat i ca 11 y. The population increase has been matched by investment in commercial facilities. A free standing centre has been developed at Endeavour Hills and at Fountain Gate/Narre Warren a major regional shopping centre has been built by the Overland group of companies as part of a city centre development. The concept of a major commercial and municipal administration centre in the vicinity of Narre Warren was born in the early 1970's with the presentation of a consultant's report to the newly constituted Council. This report dealt with future directions for the new municipality. Narre Warren was chosen for the commercial and administration centre because of its centrality to the municipality and because of accessibility. A number of developers competed for the right to develop the centre with the two major ones being Overland Development Corporation and CHI. Council supported Overland which obtained the Fountain Gate Special Use Zone No. 9A (Commercial and Municipal) which was west of Narre Warren North Road. On the east side of Narre Warren North Road the land owned by CHI was zoned Service Business. Both of these holdings were on the north side of the Princes Highway. On the south side of the highway there are two other areas which contribute to the total Foutain Gate/Narre Warren commercial fabric. The Narre Warren shopping centre is a small traditional type of suburban shopping centre and has developed between the Princes Highway and the Narre Warren railway station. Vesper Village is a semi-commercial/industrial area opposite the Fountain Gate shopping centre. In 1981, with the release of the Government's Metropolitan Strategy, there were 14 district centres identified and four potential district centres. Fountain Gate/Narre Warren was one of the four potential district centres which were each located in the fast developing outer areas of Melbourne.

2. THE CENTRE TODAY The Fountain Gate/Narre Warren commercial precinct extends across an area of approximately lSOha (ie. l.Skm2) and is generally bounded by the proposed Princes Freeway on the north, the Troups Creek East Branch on the west, the Gippsland Railway on the south and Cranbourne Road and the Princes Highway on the south-east. The area is outlined on the plan in Appendix 1. An additional area of approximately 2lha of older residential development forms what may become part of the centre in the longer term, but presently takes a bite out of the southern boundary .

. .. I 2 •• - L -

The Fountain Gate Shopping Centre is the major focus of retailing activities in Narre Warren. From an opening only eight years ago the centre has grown to accommodate an impressive range of discount and supermarket stores. Extensions to the centre have been opened five times since 1980. The following table shows the opening dates of the various stages, gross leasable floor space and major tenants: Stage Opened GLFA Major Tenants 1 1980 14,650m2 K-Mart, Coles New World 2 1982 Non-retail Hotel 3 1984 4,059m2 Safeway 4 1985 1,044m2 4A 1986 Non-retail Offices 5 1986 3,875mf Fosseys, Mitre 10, Furniture Bazaar 23,628m2 In addition to the major tenancies, the centre provides 77 specialty shops, 4 banks and a post office. At present extensions to the centre to increase the floor space by approximately 70% are being constructed. The additional 16,502m2 of floor area will accommodate a Forges department store, a Harry Heath's SSW supermarket and some 40 more specialty shops. Also under construction is the first stage of a peripheral sales complex (4,250m2) and two family restaurants. The Berwick Business Park has not been as aggressively developed as the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre and currently comprises only three components - a family restaurant/take away facility, a reception centre/restaurant and tennis court complex and a petrol filling station. The business park has recently been purchased by a development company with a more dynamic approach to the development and marketing of the land. Vesper Village is being developed as small tenancies of a service type nature or peripheral sales. As such it complements the major commercial centre on the other side of the highway. At present the village comprises 30 commercial operations with a further 12 premises recently completed and awaiting occupancy. The Narre Warren shopping centre contains an SSW supermarket, leisure centre, child minding centre, petrol station, restaurants, medical services, offices, community facilities and approximately 30 other general shops. Work is currently underway to provide another 21 shop premises in the centre. As mentioned earlier this centre is a more traditional type of suburban centre. It is primarily a strip type centre that has developed along a road leading from the Princes Highway past the railway station. Most of the newer development is located along two small roads running to the east of the original centre. In addition to the business aspects of the commercial area there are two major recreation areas currently in existence. The Fountain Gate playing fields in the floodplain of the Troups Creek near the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, and the Narre Warren Memorial Sports Ground near the Berwick Business Park are major active recreation grounds and cater for football, cricket, netball and lawn bowls.

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3. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH 3.1 Commercial & Administrative Growth The two major growth areas of the commercial centre will obviously be the Fountain Gate Shopping centre and the Berwick Business Park. Within the existing planning scheme limitations, the Fountain Gate complex is planned to expand to include a peripheral sales centre, a cinema complex, a family restaurant/fast food grouping, a retirement village, medical centre, a motel and additional office and retail floorspace. A concept plan for this centre is attached {See Appendix 2). The owner of Fountain Gate has sought approval from the Ministry for Planning and Environment to increase the retail floor space limitation under the Berwick Planning Scheme from 47,313m2 to 75,000m2. The City of Berwick suppqrts this increase.

The Berwick Business Park is proposed to be further developed to includ~ a motel, peripheral sales offices, computer and hi-tech sales and servicing, health centre, another reception and convention centre and light industrial/commercial activities. A concept plan for this site is attached {See Appendix 3). Council's administrative and civic operations take place adjacent to the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre. Council proposes to extend the Municipal Offices and to also construct a Town Hall, Library and Civic Function Centre. 3.2 Road and Transport Development The Princes Highway through the Fountain Gate/Narre Warren area is currently a four lane divided road with improved intersections. Traffic volumes have been steadily increasing over the past two years and widening to a six lane facility is now required. Council has been pursuing this need with the appropriate authorities. With the rapid residential development currently taking place both north and south of Narre Warren access to the Princes Highway from arterial roads is beginning to become congested. Under the. Road Construction Authority's current five year program it is proposed to extend Narre Warren North Road to the Princes Highway and to create a major intersection where Cranbourne Road currently intersects with the highway. Works are programmed to commence in 1990. The other major road project which will have an impact on the road network in the vicinity of the centre is the proposed Princes Freeway. With increasing traffic levels, and the creation of additional intersections on the highway, the level of service provided by the six lane facility will begin to decline from the time that the additional two lanes are constructed. This will inevitably lead to the need to construct the Princes Freeway. The freeway forms the northern boundary of the commercial centre. The Road Construction Authority already owns the land for the freeway which will include a major interchange with Narre Warren North Road. The construction of the freeway will remove through traffic from the commercial centre thereby improving accessibility for vehicles and pedestrians to the various components of the centre. Public transport accessibility to and within the centre will also be enhanced by the upgrading of the road system around and through the commercial area .

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4. THE CITY OF BERWICK AS PART OF THE BERWICK/PAKENHAM GROWTH CORRIDOR In the metropolitan policy document "Shaping Melbourne's Future" it is forecast {p.8) that the City of Berwick will grow at more than 3,000 lots/year in the 1990's. This will be a substantial increase on the current year (estimated at 1700). The current year will itself be considerably higher than last year's 1400 and the figure of 1150 in 1986. Council appreciates the fact that the Berwick/Pakenham Growth Corridor will become probably the most rapidly developing of Melbo~rne's urban corridors. As a result of Government growth projections Council has made a number of submissions for the provision of a range of physical and human infrastructure requirements which will be necessary to support the rapidly increasing population. In addition to Government provided services and facilities there are also certain aspects of the urban infrastructure to be provided by private enterprise. Commercial facilities are an important . component in the urban fabric and Council is concerned to ensure that adequate provision is made for this area of activity as well as many others. Clearly in the short to medium term the City of Berwick will have to accommodate the majority of growth in the corridor and the major focus of growth in the municipality will be the Narre Warren area. The Narre Warren area has a current population of approximately 10,000 and this will rise to 50,000 by the year 2000. In addition to the shopping needs of these people will be the needs of the other 100,000 residents of the City of Berwick living in Endeavour Hills, Doveton, Hallam and Berwick as well as those further afield in the Beaconsfield/Officer area in the and the Hampton Park area of the Shire of Cranbourne. It is acknowledged that local and neighbourhood centres will cater for convenience shopping in these various areas. However, there is also a need to provide for comparison and specialist shopping which can only be viably established in a high order centre.

5. DESIGNATION OF FOUNTAIN GATE/NARRE WARREN AS A DISTRICT CENTRE Both the 1981 metropolitan strategy and the 1987 metropolitan policy referred to the Fountain Gate/Narre Warren area as a potential district centre. In the more recent policy document {p.17) it is clear that district centres should combine retail, office and community facilities in locations well served by public transport. The document also identifies criteria {p.20) which must be met for designation as an "outer strategic centre". In relation to these criteria the Fountain GatejNarre Warren area is well located: * It is situated on major metropolitan radial rail and road routes. * It is within easy reach of Western Port. * It is located on 's premier interstate highway. * It is located within easy reach of the major transfer centre proposed for the Very Fast Train {VFT) connecting Melbourne/Canberra/Sydney. * It is located within what will become probably the major growth corridor for metropolitan Melbourne.

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Council believes that there is a need to immediately designate Fountain Gate/Narre Warren as a district centre. Most of Melbourne's district centres were developed long before the district centre strategy was formulated and land use within some of those centres would have been more efficient if development had proceeded in accordance with a pre-existing structure plan. Obviously this was not possible. At Fountain Gate/Narre Warren, on the other hand, there is the opportunity to designate a district centre and prepare a structure plan before development closes off some options. Council believes that this is the very essence of planning and that advantage should be taken of the pre-planning which has taken place and the existing large land holdings in the area. The designation of Fountain Gate/Narre Warren as a district centre at an early stage will ensure that: * a soundly based and achievable structure plan can be prepared for the development of the centre. * the centre can develop on the basis of its potential. * short term expedients can be countered on the basis of preserving longer term options. * investment can proceed with certainty that the centre has Government support. * regional offices of Commonwealth and State agencies would be encouraged to locate in the centre. Further deferral of designation could result in short term development which could be prejudicial to the later development of an integrated district centre. For example, Council has recently refused a unit development on a site zoned for residential purposes which was situated between the Special Use Zone No. 9A and the Service Business Zone. This was in recognition of the longer term potential of the site in the centre of a district centre. A current application proposes subdivision of part of the Service Business Zone into small allotments for industrial type uses. Such uses are an inefficient use of land in a district centre, but are permissable under the present zoning. With Government commitment by designation of the district centre Council would be in a far stronger position to defend long term options and developers would be able to recognise the benefits to their land in the longer term. 6. CONCLUSION Council believes that the Fountain Gate/Narre Warren commercial area is ideally located to provide district centre services to the rapidly expanding Berwick/Pakenham Corridor. This has been recognised in previous years by its identification as a potential district centre. In order to properly plan for the expansion of the centre by means of an achievable structure plan there must be commitment and co-operation between the Ministry, Council and the various land owners. The uncertainty of "potential" status has in the past curtailed both investment and vision and has certainly discouraged the establishment of offices by Government agencies which have had regard for the Government's policy of locating such offices in district centres.

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Council believes that the next step should be taken now and that Fountain Gate/Narre Warren should be designated as a district centre without further delay. With the preparation of a structure plan and its future implementation the possibility exists that the district centre for the Berwick-Pakenham Growth Corridor will develop as a showpiece of the Government's district centre strategy. Council strongly urges that immediate action be taken to upgrade the designation of Fountain Gate/Narre Warren from potential district centre status to full district centre status. · . ; -- ~

I / ·-- ··

7 \ \ \ •' \ \ / \ •._/ •'

./

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PROPOSED DISTR ICT CENTRE.

POSSIBLE FUTURE '

HETRES lOf •u"IC I IIGIUII(O 'llll (S1UU SUIOIYISC)tl) 1o~}L,oo 100 lOO LOO 600 Ill If I II U .. Ifl ftll( . IUh(f "ltll Olt I UIOIYI S•OII SCALE ------c"' oou•a••' -'' ,lU or l .. O • .,li(O J OI UIO(I fll( 0 a-s _ _._ __ cououa t••l UIISIU OJ liiiO a(f K1l011ETRES 1:10,000 NARRE WARREN - · · ----- .. tf(II(OUIIH (OIIf'OIIll 01 SfU(IIfS IU'•UIO If .. 1-'1 & JUfl (UPOiafiOII

(OU(Il 0"•CI/OIP01 BASE HAP HUMBER : F=OUNTAIN GATE REGIONAL

' ~ SHOPPING .. CENTRE

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I : ~ '\ / :. ~· [b[§~[b 2 CONCEPTUAL BITE PLAN .

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J'. "''.· .,

,.'\ /._ .:'- v .. APPENDIX 3

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HIGHWAY

AU..UI'IIAIC.....rn REF 11046A ~=-tn Berwick Business Park SCALE 1 2000 ...... l)lTf ...... ,, -~·-···- .. - VICTOR PROPERTIES UMITED ' .,

SUBMISSION TO

THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES HON. C.R.T. MATHEWS ·-"

ON

THE PROPOSED CITY OF BERWICK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

(A JOINT STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT HUMAN SERVICES DEMONSTRATION PROJECT)

CITY OF BERHICK

JUNE 1988 ..

PR£FOSED CITY OF BERWICK C(l.1MUNITY DEVELCFMENT PROGJW.t.1E

The implications .of the State Government 1 s Metropolitan Policy for the City of Berwick are as significant as for any other local government authority in Melbourne, if not more critical in many respects. Ministry for Planning - and Environment population projections clearly indicate that the City of Berwick will be the principal growth municipality in the Melbourne metropolitan area for the foreseeable future.

The anticipated unprecedented levels of population growth and development in the city will necessitate the co-ordinated planning and provision of physical, social and economic infrastructure to ensure that the diverse

needs of the municipality 1 s ratepayers and residents are met in an appropriate and timely manner. Failure to deliver an integrated range of services and facilities will result in major problems at the local level in both the short and long term.

The vital importance of partnership between the State Government and the City of Berwick in the implementation of the Metropolitan Policy cannot be overemphasised.

Council has believed for a number of years that there is a need for greater coalescence between municipal policies and policies of other spheres of government, more rational intergovernmental planning approaches and better integrated implementation procedures between the different levels of government in the delivery of public sector goods and services.

Council is most willing to work co-operatively and collaboratively with the State Government in ensuring that commu nity needs in the growth corridor are met in a timely, co-ordinated manner. ' '

It is estimated that the population of the City of Berwick, which is currently 60,000 persons, will increase to 80,000 by 1990/91 and to 135,000 by 1995/96. Thus during the next 5-7 years the p6pulation of the municipality will grow at a rate of approximately 12-13 per cent per annum; such dramatic growth resulting in the city's present population more than doubling by the mid 1990's.

The distribution of growth within the municipality reflects the advancing development front with growth concentrated in Endeavour Hills until the late 1980's. In the early 1990's housing development will be concentrated in Narre Warren and by the mid 1990's the development rate in Berwick will reach a peak. By the late 1990's development of the municipality will be virtually completed.

With regards the general delivery of human services, the State Government Metropolitan Policy states that one of the measures to respond to changing needs is to:

"Encourage ~stablishment of community development programmes in areas --- experiencing rapid growth or change in composition of population or households." It is noted that population growth on the metropolitan fringe has resulted in gaps in a range of community services and that such problems in newly established areas are often more serious than in developed areas because of the lack of community networks which can provide informal support. Furthermore, the Metropolitan Policy points out that the achievement of equity in service provision is a problem with programmes that have submission based funding because it disadvantages groups without the organisational arrangements to claim resources, such as newly established communities. To again quote from this policy: - funding Community Services Officers/Social Planners in this region. The present proposal is essentially a variation of this strategy to meet the particular community needs of the City of Berwick as ~he most rapidly developing municipality in the Western Port Region. PLANNING & EPA - l~3RARY The Strategic Assessment report states:

"The nomination of the Berwick/Pakenham .corridor in the 1987 Metropolitan Policy represents a challenge and an opportunity to plan ahead rather than in response to rapid increases in the level and rate of settlement, with flow-on effects for the whole of Westernport. The State Government's Working Party on State/Local Government Financial Relations and the Local Government Ministers Task Force on Community Development have examined the issue of simplified, longer-term and broad-banded funding. Contractual arrangements which would allow for clear, mutual responsibilities and for longer term planning are required both between spheres of government and with the non-governmental sector. The opportunity to trial such reform exists and the nomination of the Berwick/Pakenham corridor for expansion reinforces this opportunity. A policy commitment to promote further concentrated residential development of the Berwick/Pakenham corridor adds weight to the call by State and local government agencies, as well as non-government bodies, for such growth to be reflected in Commonwealth and State resources for both planning and managing the growth. 11 The proposed Community Development Programme in the City of Berwick would, it is suggested, contribute significantly to the more efficient and effective planning and delivery of a diversity of community services at the local level.

Furthermore, the anticipated significant outcomes of this initiative have the potential to be applied elsewhere, particularly those parts of metropolitan Melbourne identified as high growth areas during the 1990's and beyond.

The estimated cost of this programme would be in the order of $70,000 per annum and the State Gov ernment is requested to consider fu~ding such a two year demonstration project with the option to extend the venture for a further twelve months prior to a comprehensive review being undertaken. -- "This problem is particularly serious in fringe areas where municipal rates are already fully stretched and the demand for services is high." The City of Berwick fully agrees with the view of the State Government that integrated planning and greater interagency co-ordination will facilitate the delivery of human services in a way that responds to changing needs.

Briefly speaking, it is suggested that such processes in the City of Berwick could be substantially enhanced by the allocation of funds, via Community Services, Victoria, to Council for the employment of two (2) generalist Community Development Officers (C.O.D.'s) over say 2-3 years.

In summary the pJoposed C.O.D.'s would be actively engaged in the following:

* advising as to new/innovative community development initiatives in achieving more equitable access to opportunities, services and facilities for all members of the community in accordance with the Social Justice Strategy

* assisting with the implementation of improved human service delivery and co-ordination arrangements between various relevant agencies

* facilitating the establishment and strengthening of social and community networks in rapidly developing residential areas

* enhancing of local community participation in the planning and provision of a range of community services, especially at the neighbourhood level.

The recently undertaken Strategic Assessment of the Western Port Region recommends that the State Government should acknowledge and support the key community services planning and development role of local government by Council acknowledges that the proposed Community Development Programme is outlined only broadly in the present submission. Should this general proposal be seen to have merit, and the potential to be implemented, the City of Berwick would be pleased to prepare for further consideration a more detailed, comprehensive submission in liaison with Community Services, Victoria and other relevant agencies.