CEO Update – August 2022

It is with great pride that I share the VPA’s gazetted plans for the Arden Precinct.

With the gazettal of these plans and the release of our Business Plan 2022/23, I would like to take a moment to celebrate this significant achievement and update you on our priorities for the year ahead.

Plans for Arden Precinct Gazetted

The plans for the Arden Precinct have been gazetted, paving the way for a new destination in Melbourne’s inner north-west. 

Located around the Metro Tunnel’s Arden Station, Arden will become an employment and innovation precinct and a thriving new neighbourhood that will accommodate 34,000 jobs and 15,000 residents. The completion of these plans will allow Arden to begin developing into a thriving innovation precinct in anticipation of the Metro Tunnel’s Arden Station opening in 2025.

The plans support the delivery of around eight hectares of new green open space. This includes local parks, two community facilities, a proposed primary school and a potential health facility to cater for the prosperous new community. Planning controls will protect the open spaces from natural impacts like wind and overshadowing from buildings.

The plans have been shaped by three rounds of extensive community consultation and review by an independent Standing Advisory Committee to make sure they reflect the needs and aspirations of Arden’s current and future community.

I would like to thank the hardworking staff at the VPA who have contributed to this project over the past four years, as well as our colleagues at the Department of Transport, Development Victoria, Melbourne Water and the City of Melbourne.

Find out more about the plans for Arden and see the full package of gazetted documents at vpa.vic.gov.au/arden.

VPA Business Plan 2022/2023

The Minister for Planning has approved our Victorian Planning Authority Business Plan 2022/2023.

The plan includes 52 planning projects, which together will unlock 126,000 lots and 150,000 jobs.

The goal of our work is to translate state-wide policy for growth and jobs into clear spatial planning directions to enable development of prosperous, liveable and sustainable communities for current and future generations.

We launched the VPA Strategic Plan 2021-2024 in August 2021 to guide us in delivery of this goal. The plan outlines our values, purpose, pillars and priorities and consolidates our role as the Victorian Government’s lead urban growth planning agency. It also articulates our role as a trusted problem solver and expert advisor – we facilitate land use and infrastructure solutions and bring delivery-informed insights to urban policy and projects.

Our work program is driven by our strategic pillars and priorities. We aim to maximise our impact by directing our work towards places of state and regional significance, where we contribute to economic recovery and balanced growth – and where we have the authorising environment to deliver.

In 2022/23 the Minister for Planning has directed us to implement government policy and to advance precinct structure plans (PSPs) in metropolitan Melbourne and the regions. We have also been asked to focus on accountability, transparency and financial sustainability. Our strategic plan will guide us as we deliver on these directions.

Our focus in 2022/23 will be:

• Deliver our Priority Program: Our top priority is to progress projects that are state or regionally significant and have substantial economic stimulus benefits. To do this we will transition from our existing Fast Track Program to our new Priority Program.
• Unlock land to boost housing supply, choice and affordability: We are working towards clear targets in Melbourne’s growth suburbs – to maintain 15 years’ supply of zoned PSP land and facilitate 50,000 new homes by early 2023.
• Plan for precinct-scale benefits for Commonwealth Games legacy infrastructure: Work with our State Government and local council partners to identify and progress planning projects that will support delivery of key Games infrastructure assets and maximise legacy benefits at the precinct and township scale.
• Continue our PSP reform process: Continue to reform PSP processes and outcomes to ensure best practice plans that lead to new liveable, resilient communities.
• Support infrastructure coordination and integration: Explore new models to help better coordinate land use and infrastructure planning.
• Develop clear pipelines of work: Work to secure forward pipelines of work and a strong authorising environment for the work we undertake, with a focus on activity centres and urban renewal areas in Melbourne and in fast-growing regional cities.
• Work towards financial sustainability: Advocate for new funding models that will enable us to deliver our large pipeline of work into the future
• Create a flexible and hybrid workplace: Continue to invest in the development of our approach to hybrid working.

Find out more about our Victorian Planning Authority Business Plan 2022/23 and read the full plan on the VPA website.

New Expert Committee to Deliver PSP Reform

Since we launched our new Precinct Structure Planning Guidelines in 2021, we are continuing to evolve our approach to PSP planning for new communities.

As part of our commitment to working collaboratively with our partners to deliver improved outcomes in Victoria’s new communities, the VPA has formed a PSP Reform Agenda Expert Steering Group.

The Steering Group includes expert practitioners and thought leaders from across the built form industry.

We look forward to working with the Steering Group to inform the prioritisation of our projects, identify practical solutions and assist in delivering a joined up approach for implementing the VPA’s PSP Reform Agenda. The ultimate aim is continuing to achieve better outcomes on the ground in our new communities.

As always, thank you to all our partners who have supported us through a busy year so far. We look forward to the remainder of 2022 as we round out our big year of delivery for a growing Victoria