ISSN 0811-563X VICTORIA Report of the DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING July 1982- June 1983 Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed MELBOURNE F D ATKINSON GOVERNMENT PRINTER 1984 No. 134 The Honourable Evan Walker MLC Minister for Planning 500 Collins Street MELBOURNE Dear Minister In accordance with Section 11(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Amalgama­ tion) Act 1980, I have pleasure in submitting to you for presentation to Parliament the following report on the activities of the Department of Planning for the period 1 July 1982 to 30 June 1983. DAVID YENCKEN SECRETARY FOR PLANNING DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING VICTORIA Principal Officers Secretary for Planning D G D Yencken Deputy Secretary J B Lawson Regional Director Port Phillip V J Sposito Regional Director Country Victoria G McK Wright Director of Planning Services (Acting) A A Puglisi Director of Administrative Services P J McNabb Head Office 500 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000 GPO Box 2240T, Melbourne 3001 Telephone 617 0211 Regional Offices Central Gippsland: 71 Hotham Street, Traralgon 3844 Telephone (051) 74 5223 Central Highlands/Wimmera: State Offices, Cnr Doveton and Mair Streets, Ballarat 3350 Telephone (053) 37 0738 wddon-Campaspe: 391 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo 3550 Telephone (054) 42 1511 North Eastern: Astra House, Jack Hore Place, Wodonga 3690 Telephone (060) 24 4688 South Western: T & G Building, Liebig Street, Warrnambool 3280 Telephone (055) 62 4532 Western Port/South Gippsland: 33 High Street, Cranbourne 3977 Telephone (059) 96 3377 CONTENTS FOREWORD 1 ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT 2 LEGISLATION 4 PORT PHILLIP DIVISION 6 Metropolitan Strategy and Amendment 150 Melbourne Central Region Metropolitan North and West - Geelong Region Metropolitan South and East Region Upper Yarra Valley- Dandenong Ranges Macedon Region Western Port and South Gippsland Region Central Area Task Force Southbank Project Western Suburbs Planning and Environment Action Program Lynch's Bridge Project Keysborough Green Wedge COUNTRY VICTORIA DIVISION 17 Central Gippsland Region Central Highlands and Wimmera Regions East Gippsland Region Goulburn Region Loddon-Campaspe Region North Eastern Region Northern Mallee Region South Western Region Old and Inappropriate Subdivisions/Restructure Section Rural Services PLANNING SERVICES DIVISION 24 Advisory Services Policy Analysis and Research Publications and Information Cartographic Services SPECIAL PROJECTS DIVISION 26 Area Improvement Heritage Unit Planning Appeals Board ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION 30 Staffing and Restructure Accommodation Finance Information Services (Freedom of Information) SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND PROMOTIONS 32 Planning Ministers' and Chief Planners' Conference Visit by West German Planners World Town Planning Day Frederick C Cook Award APPENDIX 33 Statutory Planning Controls in Victoria The new Permanent Head The new Secretary for Planning, Mr David G D Yencken AO, joined the Depart­ ment on 23 August 1982. The Deputy Secretary, Mr John Lawson had been Ac­ ting Secretary for Planning until Mr Yencken's appointment. Mr Yencken has had extensive experience in both public and private sectors. He was Chairman of the Interim Committee on the National Estate, and later Chair­ man of the Australian Heritage Commission (1975-81). He has served on numerous government and non-government bodies, including the Commonwealth Building Research and Development Advisory Committee. He was inaugural Chairman of the Australian Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites and represented Australia as joint leader of the Australian Delegation to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 1980 and 1981. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1982 for service in the fields of Conservation and History. In the private sector Mr Yencken was active for many years in building and planning spheres as eo-founder, chairman and joint managing director of Mer­ chant Builders Pty Ltd (1965-81) and chairman and managing director of Tract Consultants Australia Pty Ltd (1971-79). FOREWORD The 1982-83 year began with many new emphases new policy directions set by a new Government and the appointment of a new permanent head. To assess the possible effects of the new policies and the opportunities they presented, the Department organised a series of 'search' meetings in metropolitan and country regions, involving agencies and community groups with interests in planning. This gave staff the chance to exchange ideas with various groups, to hear suggestions for action and to consider how the Department might co-operate more effectively with other agencies. It also provided me with the chance to hear at first hand how communities and individuals felt about local issues. Sixteen of these meetings were held across Victoria between October 1982 and January 1983, pro­ viding valuable contacts, information and understanding of issues concerning dif­ ferent regions and projects. The Department's five major projects for the year were: a review of planning legislation and procedures which have long needed overhaul; planning for the cen­ tral city and development of the Yarra's south bank, both areas of State impor­ tance where the Minister has planning control; the western suburbs program and Lynch's Bridge project which have involved extensive public consultation and in­ vestigation of possibilities for improving the environment and living conditions in the west; and the Ballarat Area Strategy Plan which will give both public agen­ cies and the private sector a better basis for making decisions on future programs and investment. Details of these five projects are in the body of this repon. The way they are being tackled reflects the new concerns of this Department. While statutory planning is the Department's basic work, we have given a marked new emphasis to setting strategic objectives, establishing urban management systems and developing means of direct action to achieve objectives and bring about desired change, particularly for a more equitable distribution of resources and facilities. This will mean greater need for the analysis of social, economic and environmen­ tal trends, more direct involvement in getting results on the ground, greater con­ cern with the form, quality and appropriateness of developments, and more effec­ tive communication with local government and local communities. The change in emphasis obviously puts additional demands on the Department. We are therefore assessing all divisions and considering how staff might be deployed to the areas of greatest need. We are developing a new policy analysis research unit and strengthening the Department's design and landscape/architectural skills. This expertise will be used in future as part of an extended advisory services program for councils and local communities. Further major changes are soon to take place. Following the Government's de­ cision to restructure four departments - Planning, Conservation, Forests and Lands -into two, this Department will double its staff numbers and acquire new respon­ sibilities for the management and protection of the environment. We look forward to a considerably broadened scope of work in 1983/84. DAVID YENCKEN SECRETARY FOR PLANNING 1 ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT The Department of Planning began operation on 2 February 1981 following amalgamation of the Ministry for Planning and the Town and Country Planning Board. It is concerned primarily with co-ordination and control of the use of private land in Victoria. Under the Town and Country Planning Act a decentralised system of planning administration has been developed in which local and regional authorities are given the responsibility for preparing and amending planning schemes and for administer­ ing land use controls. The Department's main functions are to be responsible for land use strategies; to review and report on planning schemes and urban renewal proposals prepared throughout the State; to administer some planning schemes; to prepare strategy plans where appropriate; to advise and assist regional planning authorities (including the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works), local councils and the public; and to advise the Minister. It also assists with the protection of the State's heritage of historic buildings and areas, and is responsible for the restructuring of old and inappropriate subdivisions in Victoria. It oversees the development of the Melton Sunbury growth centre. Acts administered by the Department are: Central Gippsland (Brown Coal Land Compensation) 1980 Development Areas /973 Geelong Regional Commission 1977 (Jointly with: Ministry for &onomic Development Historic Buildings 1981 Planning Appeals Board 1980 Town and Country Planning 1961 Town and Country Planning (Amalgamation) 1980 Town and Country Planning (Western Port) 1981 Upper Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges Authority 1976 The Department consists of an executive and five divisions: Port Phillip, Coun­ try Victoria, Planning Services, Special Projects and Administrative Services. Its activities are organised on a regional basis with offices in Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo, Cranbourne, Traralgon, Warrnambool and Wodonga. Co-ordination with other agencies The Department has made a particular effort this year to strengthen its co­ ordinating role, working with government agencies, local authorities, community groups and individuals to prepare plans for projects, while other agencies take responsibility for physical works. This has involved both private and public sector developments.