Town & Country Planning Board of Victoria
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VICTORIA 1974 TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING BOARD OF VICTORIA TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT FINANC,IAL YEAR 1973-197 4 PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 (2) OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1961 By Authority: No. 35.-7770/74.-PRICE 70 cents C. H. RIXON, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE. Contents 5 The year in review 7 Legislation 8 Delegation of the Board's powers and functions 8 Conversion to metric practice 9 Commonwealth /State agreements I 0 Investigation and designated area studies 13 Albury fWodonga 18 Strategic planning 18 Joint activities with Commonwealth Government agencies 19 State Planning Council 20 State Planning Advisory Committee 20 Regional planning 21 Statements of planning policy 22 Urban renewal 23 Other studies 24 Submissions to National Inquiries 26 Statutory planning 26 Planning schemes being prepared by the Board 30 Planning schemes prepared by Councils 31 Melbourne Metropolitan planning area 32 Revocations 33 Committees 35 Promotion of planning 36 Education 37 " Planning and Privilege " 40 Board members and staff 41 Appendices TWENTY -NINTH ANNUAL REPORT 235 Queen Street, Melbourne 3000. The Honorable the Minister for Planning, 480 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000. Sir, In accordance with the provisions of Section 5 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1961, the Board has pleasure in submitting to you for presentation to Parliament the following report on its activities during the twelve months ended 30th June, 1974. The Year in Review This has been an important year for planning in Victoria. New concepts have been introduced, the necessary legislation enacted and the scope and direction of planning thereby changed considerably. One ot' the major contributing factors has been the recent involvement of the Commonwealth Government in urban and regional planning. The first joint planning project in which the Governments of Victoria and the Commonwealth were involved was the commitment, together with the New South Wales Government, to the development of a new city in the AI bury /Wodonga area. The Initial agreement was signed in January, 1973, and the Board has been heavily involved in the subsequent period. In addition to the AI bury JWodonga project, the Board has been engaged directly and indirectly in wide ranging discussions with Commonwealth agencies principally the Cities Commission and the Department of Urban and Regional Development. These discussions have dealt with the broadest spectrum of planning, development and conservation questions and have resulted in several formal agreements between the Prime Minister and the Premier. The agreements are listed elsewhere in the report. A second major factor contributing to the increased depth and scope of planning was the passage of the Development Areas Act 1973. This is described under " Legislation ". In the first four months of its operation, three designated and thirteen Investigation areas have been declared. For each investigation area, the Board is required to prepare a report within the period specified by the Governor in Council, such period being not longer than one year. The declared areas are largely within the planning areas of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, the Western Port Regional Planning Authority and the Geelong Regional Planning Authority. The Board has employed a consulting firm to undertake the necessary studies and prepare the Board's reports under the surveillance of a steering committee appointed by the Board. In addition to the new work introduced this year, the Board has continued with its State-wide strategic studies. The State Planning Council and its Advisory Committee met regularly, submissions to two national inquiries were made and staff was seconded to Task Force studies for Wodonga, Geelong and the South East Corridor. A statement of planning policy for Geelong was approved, those on Western Port and the Mornington Peninsula were the subject of review, and several others are in course of preparation. The Board was also involved in reporting on urban renewal proposals pursuant to the Urban Renewal Act 1970. Regional planning studies continued. A regional planning authority was established in the Loddon-Campaspe area and a provisional committee was set up for the East Gippsland region. The Board provides supportive services for both. The Board believes it should promote the early establishment of regional planning authorities in other regions and has sought staff and finance for this purpose. 6 An increasing volume of statutory planning was executed. Planning schemes were approved for Arapiles (Horsham Boundary), Kilmore, Maffra (Maffra Township), Rochester (Rochester Township) and Woorayl. Thirty-four interim development orders were approved, five to be administered by the Board and the balance by councils. Ten councils and a regional planning authority resolved to prepare schemes for all or part of their areas. In the metropolitan area, the Board reported on the report of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works on Concept Objections to its Amendments Nos. 3 and 21 involving future growth patterns particularly in the extended planning area. From this flowed the declaration of several investigation areas mentioned earlier. Six other amendments to the Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme were examined and approved and others are being processed. Work in the preparation of the Board's own schemes advanced well. The schemes for Maldon and the Wonthaggi Coastal area have been exhibited and the Lorne scheme is approaching that stage. Significant steps were taken in the preservation of the Gippsland Lakes with the approval of interim development control and the publication of guidelines for their planning. A considerable amount of work has been involved in the administration of the Board's interim development order over the Ovens Upper Murray area, within which the new growth complex of AI bury JWodonga will be developed. The two committees established to advise the Board on the Yarra Valley and the preservation of places of historic interest met as required and the Board's representation on various other committees was maintained. Board members and staff continued with their promotion of planning-visiting many areas to discuss and explain to councils and the public the advantages of planning ; assisting municipalities contemplating planning control or preparing interim development orders or planning schemes and maintaining liaison with regional planning authorities and the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. A growing awareness of the importance of planning has been reflected in the increasing number of requests for speakers, articles, project material and general information. The Chairman, Deputy Chairman and senior officers have been invited to speak at many conferences and seminars in the metropolitan area and country centres, and to prepare articles for publication in various journals. The Board's programme of publishing material to stimulate interest and develop an understanding of planning has continued. To publicise the need for conservation in the Yarra Valley, a short colour documentary film was produced and distributed. The staff continued to carry out their duties with efficiency and enthusiasm despite the increasing work load which all officers have been called upon to bear. Although the Board benefited by several staff increases during the year, the additions were inadequate to enable the Board to discharge its responsibilities as fully as it would wish. The Board believes that staff, equipment and financial resources must be provided to meet the continuing and increasing planning commitment within the State otherwise important work must be deferred or set aside. 7 Legislation The work of the Board has been substantially affected by legislation passed during the year particularly the Development Areas Act and those Acts relating to Alburyj Wodonga. Wodonga Area Land Acquisition Act 1973 (No. 8518) This Act received Royal Assent on 18th December, 1973, and came into operation from that day. lt gives the Minister power to purchase or compulsorily acquire lands in the Wodonga area at values calculated at 3rd October, 19n, with an allowance for any increase or decrease in value in accordance with the land price index defined in the Act. This power expires on 31st December, 1974. Albury-Wodonga Agreement Act 1973 (No. 8520) This Act received Royal Assent on 18th December, 1973, and came into operation on the lOth April, 1974. The Act ratified the execution by the Premier on behalf of the State of Victoria of the AI bury JWodonga Area Development Agreement between the Prime Minister and the Premiers of New South Wales and Victoria. lt also established the AI bury fWodonga (Victoria) Corporation with development and land management powers for the purposes of the AI bury JWodonga growth complex. The Wodonga Area Land Acquisition Act 1973 and the Albury-Wodonga Agreement Act 1973 complement the following Commonwealth and New South Wales legislation for the project : Legislation of the Commonwealth Parliament- A/bury JWodonga Development (Financial Assistance) Act 1973 A/bury fWodonga Development Act 1973 Legislation of the New South Wales Parliament- A/bury fWodonga Development Act 1974 Growth Centres (Land Acquisition) Act I974. Development Areas Act 1973 (No. 8524) This Act received Royal Assent on 19th December, 1973, and came into operation on 20th February, 1974. The Act empowers the Governor in Council to declare an area it considers suitable for accelerated