CEO update: 23 June 2017

Dear colleague,

Thank you all for the warm welcome that I have received in my first few days as Chief Executive Officer of the VPA. I am enormously honoured to have been appointed to an agency with a strong record of achievement and which will be playing such a crucial role in planning for the places and communities that will shape Victoria’s future.

I would also like to acknowledge the leadership of Peter Seamer over the last ten years that has left the organisation in such a strong position and I wish him well in his future endeavours.

On 1 July 2017, the Victorian Planning Authority Act 2017 will formally commence, abolishing the GAA and officially empowering the VPA to work with councils and their communities to plan for new suburbs and towns and transform existing ones.

The VPA will take over the responsibilities of the GAA and branch into its new roles set by the government.

It is in this setting that I introduce myself as the new Chief Executive of the VPA.

I am a registered planner and PIA Fellow with 30 years of experience in planning, urban management and project delivery, including as Chief Executive Officer of the City of Adelaide.  I am a passionate advocate for outstanding urban environments and am driven by using planning to unlock quality investment and development outcomes.

Before joining the VPA I was working as the Deputy Director General (Planning Group) for the Queensland Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, and have previously worked in consulting and in the NSW and SA Governments.

I am excited by the challenge of working closely with all our stakeholders and I look forward to hearing directly from you all over the coming months.

LinkedIn account

The VPA has assisted me in creating a personal LinkedIn account. CEO updates will now also be posted on this account. If you wish to follow this you can do so here.

State of the State report 

The VPA has released its second quarter State of the State report, which provides a snapshot of key demographic, economic and population metrics across Victoria.

Demographic research informs the VPA’s evidence-based planning for new housing, infrastructure and jobs. Click here to view the report.

East Village 

East Village is a 24 hectare site on the corner of East Boundary and North Roads in Bentleigh East. The site is currently used for industrial and commercial use but has been identified for redevelopment.

The VPA is working in partnership with Glen Eira City Council to develop a comprehensive development plan (CDP) that will facilitate the redevelopment of East Village for mixed use employment, retail and residential development over the long term.

We were very pleased to attend and speak at a consultation event run by Glen Eira City Council for the East Village project last month, and will incorporate feedback in the draft plan to be released for consultation in the future.

Jacksons Hill 

The VPA has just released its Phase 1 community engagement report for the Jacksons Hill consultation held in February and March of this year.

Sunbury residents told us they would like planning for Jacksons Hill to preserve its key heritage features and be home to a diverse mix of uses. The community expressed a strong desire for the Aboriginal and post-contact heritage values of the site to be recognised and for access to be improved.  A wide range of potential future uses were also identified through the consultation process, including education and training, arts and culture, and food and beverage.

This feedback will help the VPA shape the draft master plan for this important site, on which the community will have further opportunity to comment on later in 2017.

Phase 1 of engagement reached more than 1,000 people through various engagement sessions and an interactive online map.

The VPA will now use this feedback to develop a draft master plan for Jacksons Hill, in close collaboration with key stakeholders including Victoria University, Hume City Council and Heritage Victoria. There will be further opportunity to comment on the draft.

Read the full report or view the summary snapshot here.

Job advertisements 

The VPA is currently recruiting for the following role:

Strategic Planning Manager, Urban Renewal (Grade 6 – Fixed Term 2 Years)

This role will lead and manage the planning for a major urban renewal precinct. This is an outstanding opportunity for an outcomes driven and versatile professional keen to shape Melbourne’s urban future.

For further information or a confidential discussion about the role, please call Hayley Atack on (03) 9651 9600.

Applications close for this position at 5pm on Monday 03 July 2017.

Finally 

I am immensely excited to be joining the VPA as it enters a new phase in Victorian planning and I look forward to partnering with councils, developers and communities to deliver key projects.

Please call our office or me on (03) 9651 9600 if you have any questions or suggestions on these or any other items, or reply accordingly if you no longer wish to receive these emails.

Best regards,

Stuart Moseley  //  Chief Executive Officer