$200 billion plan for influx of two million people
Mary Drost from Planning Backlash sent this through today, it is from the Stonnington Leader.
Very reminiscent of our story, and helped by Ian Wood, the town planner that worked with us on the Curlew Court Case.
“I think they must fix up the stretched infrastructure we are suffering under now before growing more.”
Mary.
MELBOURNE’S suburbs will be transformed under a $200 billion plan to manage an influx of about two million people over the next 40 years.
The State Government blueprint will examine where new schools, railway stations, town centres, housing and jobs will be created across growth corridors in metropolitan Melbourne.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy told Leader councils will be given a greater say as to where the development should take place.
“It can be done with improvements to transport, regionalising jobs in our suburban centres and better health and education facilities,” Mr Guy said.
“The view that greater density can happen anywhere is not one that I subscribe to.
“We want to get away from days where people living in little courts, or quiet streets, wake up and find 50 apartments are going to be built where one house was.”
The growth areas will take in Melbourne’s city fringe and plans for 350,000 new homes, 400,000 jobs and new rail stations and roads are part of the overall strategy.
The announcement comes after demographer Bernard Salt called for the “Manhattanisation” of Melbourne, with a focus on high-density living based on key areas, which would double as job-creation centres connected by a ring road.
Melbourne University urban planning lecturer Alan March said growth would be better managed in developed areas.
“We need to avoid that green wedge incursion at all costs,” Dr March said.
“We need to find the cures, not a short-term symptomatic relief.”
“Developers, they’re doing their job, they’re trying to make some money … local residents feel fear and discomfort when things change and that is normal as well,” Dr March said.
Municipal Association of Victoria president Bill McArthur said making sure established areas had the right infrastructure was a priority.
“Melbourne needs clearly defined areas for development and areas where we allow little or no change,” Cr McArthur said.
Save our Suburbs president Ian Wood agreed that creating jobs outside the CBD made sense.
But looking at high-density living, Mr Wood said most people did not want to live in a Manhattan-style environment.
He said developers should not “cherry pick” sites for three or four storeys in leafy suburban streets.
“Our preference is a bit more density in the inner city,” Mr Wood said.
“That would make a lot more use of current infrastructure, but not so much that it would be over the top and affect the area badly in terms of appearance and functionality.”