November 9, 2016
VPA hosts Greenfields Leading Practice seminar
The VPA was pleased to host its inaugural Greenfields Leading Practice seminar on Friday, October 28.
The aim of the seminar was to provide council planners, developers and builders with a greater insight into the VPA’s values and practical approaches to Greenfields planning. Approximately 100 people attended the seminar.
Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, opened the seminar, and he took the opportunity to discuss Victoria’s history of planning new suburbs, which previously left much to be desired.
“The GAA was originally created in 2006 to address a lack of coordinated planning and development across Melbourne’s Greenfield sites,” he said.
“This absence of co-ordination led to poor outcomes in many developments, with councils lacking the ability to raise funds to provide proper infrastructure.”
Minister Wynne said that since the GAA’s inception in 2006, planning outcomes in Melbourne’s Greenfields had dramatically improved. He said much of this was a result of the VPA’s PSP Guidelines, as well as the establishment of infrastructure levies charged to developers.
“The GAA helped design new funding streams from developers that have delivered $8-9 billion for core council infrastructure and $3 – $3.5 billion for state infrastructure,” he said.
VPA Greenfields Lead Director Paul Byrne spoke next, discussing key economic data relating to Melbourne’s new suburbs, including the fact the median price of a Melbourne Greenfield lot is less than half that of Sydney.
Using the Plumpton and Kororoit PSPs as her leading practice examples, Greenfields Director Martina Johnson then provided a well-illustrated account of how the VPA approaches Greenfields planning. She explained that the VPA uses an area’s key topographic, ecological and cultural values to create sustainable communities with a sense of place and character.
The VPA’s Post PSP Approvals Manager, Dean Rochfort, followed with a presentation about the VPA’s new streamlining program. The program aims to speed-up the subdivision process once a PSP has been approved.
Following morning tea, Mirvac Senior Development Manager Anne Jolic spoke about key market trends in the Greenfields, including what buyers are looking for in a new community.
To finish the seminar, VPA Greenfields Director Paul Cassidy spoke to a case-study of the Cranbourne East PSP. He identified lessons learnt and where changes are being considered in respect of the VPA’s review of the PSP Guidelines.
This was the first VPA Leading Practice seminar, run by Director of Innovation & Reform, Jane Monk. The VPA will be hosting a series of seminars in 2017, with details to be released in coming months.
Click the links below to view slideshow presentations presented on the day.
Plumpton and Kororoit PSP Presentation