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Policies and initiatives
> Direction 5. A great place to be
> Policy 5.5
Policy 5.5 – Promote excellent neighbourhood
design to create attractive, walkable and diverse communities
Melbourne 2030 intends that neighbourhoods should
be created as integrated and interconnected communities, not just
as subdivisions. It adopts a set of Neighbourhood Principles that
apply to the develop-ment of new areas and to major redevelopment
in existing areas (see ‘Neighbourhood Principles’). Not
only will new developments meet basic needs, they will also build
a strong sense of place and community. Because the population is
made up of people of different ages, genders, family types, cultural
backgrounds, interests and abilities, neighbourhoods must respond
to different needs, opportunities and aspirations.
In some areas, low population densities combined
with inappropriate development patterns make it difficult to provide
easily accessible local facilities, services, public transport and
job opportunities. People can become isolated at home or dependent
on others for access to services. Due to these difficulties, while
housing may be relatively inexpensive, the total cost of living
is often higher than it need be.
New areas will be comprehensively planned as sustainable
communities that offer high-quality, frequent and safe local and
regional public transport, and a range of local activities –
living, working and recreational. Emphasis will be placed on fostering
healthy lifestyles through initiatives such as creating walkable
neighbourhoods where it is easy and attractive to walk or cycle
to facilities and services.
It is important that convenience services, meeting
day-to-day needs, are available within walking distance of where
people live. The clustering of complementary facilities in Neighbourhood
Activity Centres, including community, education and convenience
services, will provide improved access, opportunities for co-location
and sharing of resources, and stronger support for local economic
activity.
Partnerships between developers, local government
and the community are encouraged in order to make the most of opportunities
for sharing social infra-structure, making best use of scarce resources
and meeting a wider range of community needs. Bringing diverse activities
together can provide a focal point, encouraging synergies and attracting
more and different groups of people.
The Government has recognised the importance of
protecting the liveability of neighbourhoods in proclaiming the
Environment Protection (Liveable Neighbourhoods) Act 2001. This
enables local communities to work together on these important issues
(see ‘Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plans’).
Initiatives
| 5.5.1 |
Update the residential subdivision
provisions in the Victoria Planning Provisions to promote the
Neighbourhood Principles |
| 5.5.2 |
Adopt guidelines to assist local
government in supporting local convenience services |
| 5.5.3 |
Apply the Neighbourhood Principles
in the creation or review of growth area development plans,
in structure plans
for new subdivisions, and in planning for the improvement or
redevelopment of existing areas |
| 5.5.4 |
Promote the development of Neighbourhood
Environment
Improvement Plans to ensure that community environmental concerns
are heard and addressed |
Figure 37. Sustainable neighbourhood structure
- click for more detail
Figure 38. Sustainable urban structure - click
for more detail
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Neighbourhood
Principles
These principles represent characteristics of liveable neighbourhoods:
- an urban structure where networks of neighbourhoods are
clustered to support larger activity centres on the Principal
Public Transport Network
- compact neighbourhoods that are oriented around walkable
distances between activities and where neighbourhood centres
provide access to services and facilities to meet day-to-day
needs
- reduced dependence on car use because public transport
is easy to use, there are safe and attractive spaces for
walking and cycling, and subdivision layouts allow easy
movement through and between neighbourhoods
- a range of lot sizes and of housing types to satisfy the
needs and aspirations of different groups of people
- integration of housing, workplaces, shopping, recreation
and community services, to provide a mix and level of activity
that attracts people, creates a safe environment, stimulates
interaction and provides a lively community focus
- a range of open spaces to meet a variety of needs, with
links to open space networks and regional parks
where possible
- a strong sense of place created because neighbourhood
development emphasises existing cultural heritage values,
attractive built form and landscape character
- environmentally friendly development that includes improved
energy efficiency, water conservation, local management
of stormwater and waste water treatment, less waste and
reduced air pollution
- protection and enhancement of native habitat and discouragement
of the spread and planting of noxious weeds.
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Neighbourhood Environment Improvement
Plans
These are a new tool under the Environment Protection Act
1970. They enable communities to work together to identify
and act on environmental issues at local level.
Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plans (EIPs) are developed
by all sections of the community, in partnership, to improve
and sustain the environment for everyone. Through extensive
public consultation, they tackle those issues communities
identify as important to their health, safety and enjoyment
of the local area.
Typically, a local council, catchment authority or other
government body will help sponsor development of a Neighbourhood
EIP and, with the support of EPA Victoria, will lead and publicise
the proposal. Communities are required to develop a proposal,
in consultation with all potential parties to the plan, for
submission to EPA Victoria for endorsement.
Neighbourhood EIPs might seek to tackle a single issue, or
many. They can evolve and change over time. They may work
towards ecologically sustainable development. This inbuilt
flexibility is designed to maximise the benefits of community
oriented action.
The Neighbourhood EIP provisions came into effect in July
2001. EPA Victoria is trialling the provisions and working
with a number of local councils to develop and learn from
pilot Neighbourhood EIPs how to address local environmental
issues. In metropolitan Melbourne, this includes Edwardes
Lake in Darebin and the Stony Creek in the inner western suburbs.
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