Melbourne’s Urban Renewal Initiative will give the Development Industry Confidence

 10th October 2013

“The announcement of major urban renewal projects to be driven by a new Metropolitan Planning Authority in Melbourne is a clear signal that jobs and new housing are wanted in Victoria,” says the Urban Taskforce.

 

“It may be a coincidence but just as the NSW planning reforms seem to have slowed down, the Victorian Government has announced a raft of planning initiatives that are likely to make Melbourne overtake Sydney as a jobs hub,” says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson. “The announcement of a new Metropolitan Planning Authority to prepare precinct plans and act as the planning authority on designated precincts gives a clear signal to the development industry that investment is welcomed.”

 

“While the Victorian planning initiatives state that Melbourne’s suburbs will be protected from inappropriate development this is balanced by delivering density in defined locations and by giving greater certainty about where development will be directed.”

 

“The reality in both Sydney and Melbourne is that more and more people are wanting an urban lifestyle with over a quarter of Sydney households now being in apartments. Our concern is that city plans for both cities need to ensure that there are sufficient locations where growth is encouraged so that urban living can be a significant part of the different housing models a city needs.”

 

“The Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Authority would appear to give a high powered delivery role through the State Government to ensure that real projects occur in urban renewal precincts.”

 

“The review of Sydney’s council structure could well consider a metropolitan wide planning authority that focused on delivery.”

 

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