Place policy and strategy 2013 2017

Banyule Place: Policy and Strategy 2013-2017

Banyule Place: Policy and Strategy 2013 - 2017 Our Objective for Place Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

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Contents

Page No

Place Policy and Strategy Introduction

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Scope

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Application period

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Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities

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Legislative context

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Relationship to the City Plan

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Relationships with Banyule’s Municipal Planning Scheme

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Policy and strategy development process

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Policy and strategy review

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Place Policy

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Our Objective for Place

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Our policy commitment

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Policy statement

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Key Directions

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Principles

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Council’s role

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Background

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Rationale for the Place Key Directions

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Policy Context

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Place Strategy

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Key Presenting Issues

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Our Objective for Place

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Key Directions

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Strategic Framework for the Place Key Directions

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Structure

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Banyule Place: Policy and Strategy 2013-2017 Introduction ‘Place’ describes the buildings, structures and spaces in which we live, work, shop and play. It is about our surroundings, how we interact with and move about within them. ‘Place’ also shapes our interactions with others and influences the quality and frequency of our social and economic activities. ‘Place’ is dynamic and influenced by many factors, most notably the aspirations of landowners and statutory approval systems that are governed through State and sometimes Federal decision making.

The Strategy addresses our desire for appropriate residential development that enhances neighbourhood character and is guided towards activity areas, concentrating jobs growth in activity and employment areas and supporting commercial and retail activity, provision of infrastructure, facilities and open spaces, and support for greater choices and connectivity in transport.

The City Plan identifies five key directions where Council will focus its commitment in achieving its Place objective: • • • • •

Maintain and improve Banyule as a place to live Strengthen local activity and employment areas Support thriving commercial and retail activity Enhance Banyule’s public and open spaces Support sustainable transport

Scope The Place Policy and Strategy will apply to all Councillors, Council officers, contractors and Consultants engaged by Banyule City Council. It will also influence all policies, strategies, plans and activities developed or conducted by Banyule City Council.

Application period Date policy/strategy approved by Council: Date policy/strategy due for review: Date of policy/strategy revocation:

12 months after review due date

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities This policy and strategy is considered to be compatible with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

Legislative context The Planning and Environment Act 1987 provides LGAs with land-use planning powers. The Act provides LGAs with a duty to encourage the achievement of planning objectives, including providing for the fair, orderly, economic and sustainable use and development of land. The Local Government Act 1989 specifies that LGAs (Local Government Areas) must have regard to the promotion of · The economic viability and sustainability of the municipal district, and: · Appropriate business and employment opportunities.

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Banyule Place: Policy and Strategy 2013-2017 Relationship to the City Plan The Place Policy and Strategy is the primary policy and strategy document that supports the ‘Place’ objective of the Banyule City Plan 2013-2017.

It is one of the five major policy and strategy frameworks adopted by Banyule City Council to deliver improved outcomes for residents, businesses and stakeholders in the period from 20132017.

The other policies and strategies support the objective themes of People, Planet, Participation and Performance. Performance is at the core of the new City Plan and underpins Council’s organisational culture and way of working to achieve its objectives. Planet, Place and People are the three interconnected policies that form the heart of what Council will deliver over the four year period. Participation forms a ring around all of Council’s activity and is paramount in our activities and how we work with others to achieve our objectives.

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Banyule Place: Policy and Strategy 2013-2017 Relationship with Banyule’s Municipal Planning Scheme Among Council’s City Plan policy areas, Place has the strongest relationship to the Municipal Planning Scheme (MPS). The MPS and Place are both concerned with how we use land and shape the built and landscaped environment.

The MPS is the primary vehicle for shaping land-use in Banyule. The MPS includes the State Planning Policy Framework and the Municipal Strategic Statement. The MPS guides many planning decisions in Banyule, although much decision making is made through the State Government and it’s agencies. The MPS is only a regulatory tool and is therefore reactive to the demands of development and responsive to instances when an approval is needed.

The Place policy enables Council to pursue a more proactive agenda and crosses boundaries between private and public spaces and issues not requiring a planning permit. Together, the Place policy and the MPS are Council’s principal tools in guiding growth, shaping the built environment and contributing to a liveable, accessible, prosperous, connected and sustainable Banyule.

Policy and strategy development process This policy and strategy was developed by drawing on the following information sources: · A review of current literature and policy initiatives around the themes of land-use, transport, economic development, open spaces, employment and innovation · The content of community consultations conducted during the development of the Banyule City Plan and the Banyule Community Plan · The State Government’s review of the Metropolitan Planning Strategy, including the Discussion Paper, Melbourne, Let’s Talk about the Future, October 2012 · Council commissioned research: - Background Discussion Paper for Prosperity Policy and Strategy, SGS Economics and Planning, 2009 - Banyule Household Survey, 2011 - Banyule Community Priorities Survey 2009 - Statistical data published on the Banyule Community Profile, Social Atlas and Economy websites produced by id consulting · Council’s Prosperity Policy 2012-2013 (Interim) · Discussions with Banyule City Council councillors and staff · The emerging Banyule City Plan 2013-2017 The policy and strategy have been developed in parallel with the wider City Plan and Community Plan review process, which has included comprehensive consultation across Banyule’s local communities.

Policy and strategy review Any person who wishes to provide input, feedback or comment on this policy and strategy can do so: By email: enquiries@banyule.vic.gov.au By facsimile: 9499 9475 By post: PO Box 51 Ivanhoe 3079.

By telephone: 9490 4222 5

Banyule Place:

Policy 2013 - 2017 Our Objective for Place Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Our Objective for Place Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

Our policy commitment Council will support its commitment to Place by: • • • • •

Maintaining and improving Banyule as a place to live Strengthening local activity and employment areas Supporting thriving commercial and retail activity Enhancing Banyule’s public and open spaces Supporting sustainable transport

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Policy Statement This policy supports all five objectives in the City Plan, in particular: Place – Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

Key Directions

This policy provides the rationale for Banyule’s key directions within its Place objective: · Maintain and improve Banyule as a place to live · Strengthen local activity and employment areas · Support thriving commercial and retail activity · Enhance Banyule’s public and open spaces · Support sustainable transport

Principles

The Place policy is guided by a range of principles, which are integrated with each of the Key Directions: · Liveability – All components that contribute to quality of life, such as employment, housing, education and health facilities, cultural events, natural environment, transport and telecommunications. It also includes a ‘sense of place’ - a sense of belonging, attachment and ownership of a particular place that is the key driver of population growth, new investment and jobs. · Connectivity – Banyule’s connections to Melbourne as a whole and the links between and within neighbourhoods and activity centres. Connectivity also includes the notion of the ‘compact city’ or ’20 minute city’ where day-to-day goods, services, facilities and employment opportunities are in close proximity. · Prosperity – Fostering economic conditions so that people in the community achieve financial independence and a sustainable quality of life. · Sustainability – Planning and managing economic growth and development in ways that do not conflict with protecting our natural environment. · Accessibility – The planning, design and construction of public spaces, facilities, urban amenity and housing that is accessible and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Council’s Role

Council plays a number of different roles in striving to deliver the commitments made in the Place Policy and Strategy. The key roles are: •

Planner. Council has a legislative role in planning, identifying and researching significant development and liveability issues in the community. Council’s role is to add ‘local flavour’ to the State Planning Policy Framework, to address locally important needs and issues.

Council works in conjunction with other agencies and community groups and residents to realise development that meets social and economic outcomes.

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Provider. Council is a direct provider of key services within the community and takes the lead on some major community asset renewal and development projects.

Advocate. As the tier of government closest to its constituents, local government has a clear mandate to advocate on behalf of its community to secure resources and influence change to the advantage of its residents.

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Partner. Council has an important role to play in forming partnerships with State and Federal government departments and agencies, community and industry groups to maximise benefits for the community.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Background What is Place?

‘Place’ describes the buildings, structures and spaces in which we live, work, shop and play. It is about our surroundings, how we interact with and move about within them. ‘Place’ also shapes our interactions with others and influences the quality and frequency of our social and economic activities.

The neighbourhood character of many of our suburbs is appreciated by residents and Council, and contributes to the ‘liveability’ and local lifestyle of Banyule. Growth in Banyule will be guided towards activity and employment areas, where People in Banyule value their natural environment, in the form of parks and open spaces as well as the trees and vegetation that contribute to the green and leafy character of many residential streets and public spaces Planning policy and guidelines help to protect and improve these areas and their vegetation.

Future housing and development needs to consider access to public transport, shops, business and community facilities. It also needs to have good connections to other local services and facilities.

The predominant character of Banyule is a place where people live, however it is also a significant place of employment, and provides jobs for many local residents. As Melbourne grows, and pressure on the CBD increases, activity areas away from the city centre are increasingly being seen as attractive places for more jobs growth. Such decentralisation of jobs provides greater opportunities for residents to work locally, potentially decreasing commuting times and reducing traffic congestion. Local jobs growth, anticipated particularly in health and knowledge-intensive industry sectors, will be centred on activity centres and focused on mixed use developments that contribute to the accommodation of Banyule’s projected population growth.

How people move about Banyule and our ability to access what Banyule has to offer shapes our view of Banyule, and contributes significantly to our sense of place. Mobility and accessibility is linked to economic circumstances, such as affordability of travel options as well as physical constraints, such as disability. However, our ability to move between and access places is also shaped by individual circumstances. For instance, families with young children can face considerable mobility challenges without access to a private motor vehicle.

Accessibility is broader than just, for instance, wheelchair access. Accessibility is about equal access for all, regardless of age, ability or socioeconomic background. It is about creating inclusive spaces that, by their design and form, contribute to the richness and usability of an area. In built-up areas, this inherently involves pedestrian and wheelchair friendly environments, where it is safe to walk or move along footpaths, cross roads and move between spaces. The accessibility of activity centres is a principal contributor to their viability. If people face significant barriers in getting to and from and getting around activity centres then they are less inclined to visit, and more likely to access facilities elsewhere.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Our activity centres compete with each other, but importantly they also compete with provision outside of the municipality. When people choose to go elsewhere for shopping, community and social facilities, it affects the local economy (termed ‘escape expenditure’), and the viability of our activity centres in their role as thriving hubs for community life and social interactions.

The retention of a diverse range of uses is an important factor in creating thriving, attractive and sustainable activity centres. Projected population growth and increased densification of commercial and residential development can contribute to the goal of viable activity centres, provided the attributes of an individual place are upheld.

Quality of the built form and its integration with the natural environment is crucial to creating liveable places that can be enjoyed by all. High quality design is as much about accessibility, sustainability and liveability as it is about aesthetics. Bringing together each of these elements into a cohesive urban form helps in the creation and retention of a strong sense of place, underpinned by character and individuality. Well-designed and lit spaces can discourage anti social behaviour and act as a deterrent to crime. Public realm design and the streetscape can influence the way in which people use public spaces, helping to make them safe and attractive environments.

Our activity centres are important transport nodes, where transfers between one form of transport and another should be easy and convenient. For more people to make use of public transport rather than private motor vehicles, there is an opportunity to create better integration between transport modes. Smooth and seamless transfer between different forms of transport encourages people to make journeys that may otherwise only be attractive by car.

The Place policy is a significant driver in shaping our built environment, guiding growth and infrastructure development and improving the public realm. The policy helps to realise the principles that we value (liveability, connectivity, sustainability and accessibility) and contribute to the strengthening of Banyule as a great place to live, work, shop, play and move around.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Banyule’s Population The population of Banyule is changing. Our population is: • • •

Growing, but not as quickly as across Victoria Ageing, but we’ve also recently experienced a mini ‘baby boom’ Increasingly diverse and multicultural

Banyule has a population of 122,722 which has grown 3% since 2006. In comparison, Victoria’s population grew by 8% in the same period. If current demographic trends continue, Banyule’s population is projected to continue to rise over the next two decades, to 131,447 in 2021 and 138,835 in 2031 (Victoria in Future, 2012). However, Banyule’s population growth rate is expected to be lower than for the whole of Melbourne. Over the period 2011 to 2031 this represents annual growth of 0.58% for Banyule and 1.54% for Melbourne.

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Banyule has a significant ageing population; however, similar to the nation as a whole, it is also experiencing a ‘baby boom’, with a strongly increasing number of 0 to 4 year olds.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Banyule has a lower proportion of residents in the younger age groups and a higher proportion of residents in the older age groups. However, the picture is changing. Although the older age groups (60 to 69 years of age) have grown in size between 2006 and 2011 (by 2,003 or 19%), so have the very youngest age group (0 to 4 years of age) by 914 or over 13%. Most of the ‘baby boom’ is attributed to existing families increasing in size.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017

A greater proportion of Banyule residents were born overseas compared to five years ago (22.1%, up from 19.7%), a trend that mirrors the broader picture in Victoria (26.2%, up from 23.8%). Likewise, a greater proportion of residents speak a non-English language at home (19.6%, up from 17.0%). The dominant birthplaces of Banyule residents born overseas are Italy and China, with emerging trends for China, India, New Zealand, Malaysia, Somalia, South Africa and Iran.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Between 2006 and 2011, Banyule experienced a significant shift in cultural and linguistic diversity.

There are fewer residents with an Australian ancestral background, and more from other ancestral backgrounds. Ancestral groups with the largest increase in numbers include English, Irish, Scottish, Italian and Chinese. The population of Indian ancestry residents has almost doubled in number, and those with Somali ancestry have increased significantly as a proportion of their total population size.

There are over 50 different cultural backgrounds identified by Banyule residents. Over a fifth of Banyule residents were born overseas, and just over 4% arrived in Australia during or after 2006. Nearly a fifth of residents speak a language other than English at home, which is a rise of almost 20% from 2006.

Households There was an increase in the number of dwellings in Banyule between 2006 and 2011 of 1,918, a growth of 4.1%, however the increase was not as large as in Victoria where the number of dwellings rose by 8.6%. The total number of households in Banyule increased by 1,446 between 2006 and 2011 however the average household size remained stable in Banyule and Victoria at 2.56 persons per household. For over 100 years the average household size across Australia has been in decline; although it is too early to suggest that the trend in Banyule and Victoria is reversing, the figures indicate that the decline has at least temporarily halted and levelled.

The Banyule economy Banyule’s economy accounts for 1.4% of the total Victorian economy, produces over $4bn of gross product and has grown continually over the past ten years.

Banyule’s economy is dominated by the health and social care sector, which provides over a quarter of all output and jobs. Education is a major employing sector and there is a growing professional, scientific and technical services sector. Nearly a quarter of working residents are employed within Banyule, principally in the health sector.

Banyule’s economy is changing and adapting as broader global, national and regional economic forces have an impact. Retail growth is in decline, reflecting the national and regional picture.

Factors affecting retail include the rise in online sales (accounting for 5% of the market and rising). Symptoms of the changing retail sector include a growth in personal services and food services, which is changing the face of many local shopping areas. Other symptoms include an accentuated impact on youth and part-time job opportunities as the demand for workers decreases.

Retail is the face of Banyule’s economy, much as in other middle suburban areas. There is a broad range of shopping areas in the city, with Greensborough classed as a Principal Activity Centre, and Ivanhoe and Heidelberg as Major Activity Centres. Eleven of the shopping areas (including the Principal and Major Activity Centres) are included in the Council’s Special Rates and Charges Scheme that promotes retail activity in each centre.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Manufacturing is experiencing significant change nationally and regionally, and this is reflected at the local level. Manufacturing’s share of employment regionally has declined from nearly a quarter of all jobs in 1992 to just over a seventh in 2011. Banyule has never been as reliant on manufacturing as other areas in the region as a proportion of its overall economy (Hume and Whittlesea for example) but it is reliant on the wider region to supply manufacturing jobs.

Manufacturing in Melbourne’s north is in a period of change to advanced knowledge-intensive processes as well as a high degree of specialisation in focused industry sectors, such as automotive parts and food production. There is potential for development in these areas of the economy, particularly where activity and capital is clustered and knowledge can be shared and developed alongside research and learning institutions.

There are 58,669 employed residents of the City of Banyule (ABS, 2011), compared to a total of 46,953 local jobs in the city, a difference of 11,716 jobs. This ‘gap’ is typical of many areas away from the CBD and surrounds, and is labelled by the Growth Areas Authority as the ‘dormitory suburb gap’. In Banyule there is one job for every 1.2 working residents, which contributes to the number of commuters who travel outside of the municipality.

Banyule residents are more likely to be higher qualified and less likely to have no qualifications than the average Melbourne resident. The unemployment rate is relatively low at 3.8% (December 2012) but this figure is rising, and is at its highest in over ten years. There are significant pockets of unemployment and low participation in the workforce in parts of Banyule, notably in Heidelberg West.

There are 9,733 registered businesses in Banyule. However, this figure is likely to be higher as some businesses, particularly home-based and micro-businesses are not included in the ABS Business Register statistics.

The vast majority (almost nine of every ten) of businesses are small with zero to four employees. Medium-sized businesses of 5 to 49 employees account almost one in ten of the total. Just 1% of businesses are large with a number of employees over 50. There is no significant variation with the Melbourne metropolitan area, but broadly speaking there are slightly more medium to large businesses in the Melbourne area overall.

Banyule’s economy has steadily grown over the past decade, with a GRP (Gross Regional Product) just over $3bn at the turn of the millennium to over $4.1bn by 2012.

The total gross value added figure for Banyule ($3.5bn) is a measure of the value of goods and services produced in the area. Value added also shows how productive each industry sector is at increasing the value of its inputs. Health care and social assistance generates the highest single proportion of value added (23.1% in 2011, up from 21.6% in 2006), followed by the Education and Training, and Manufacturing sectors (each with 10.8% of the total value added). However, Financial and Insurance Services and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services account jointly for 17.1% of the total, demonstrating the strength of highly-skilled knowledge-based industries.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Health and social care The largest industry sector by employment in Banyule is Health Care and Social Assistance, accounting for 27.2% of the total (12,782 jobs from a total of 46,953 jobs in Banyule). Around two thirds of the Health Care and Social Assistance workforce is employed within hospitals, medical and other health care services, with the remaining third in residential care and social assistance services.

The sector contributed $750m Gross Valued Added to the Banyule economy in 2011, up from $673m in 2006.

The area around the Austin Health facilities has seen the growth of a medical precinct, with many local consulting suites for medical and allied health professionals. There is likely to be continued growth in this area within the preferred locations of the Heidelberg SMAC (Specialist and Major Activity Centre) Structure Plan. However, there are constraints brought about by land shortage, traffic congestion and public transport accessibility issues.

It is difficult to predict the potential growth of public health floorspace, given its reliance on policy decisions. However, forecasts suggest that there will be significant growth in private healthcare floorspace, from a total of 36,000 sqm in 2006 to 63,000 sqm in 2031, an increase of 75% (SGS, Economic Information Base Project, 2009).

Retail Despite the key role of retail in Banyule’s activity centres, there has been a downward trend in the number of people employed in its workforce from 5,235 in 2006 to 4,560 in 2011, a drop of 675 or 12.9%. The sector has decreased in its value added from 6.5% to 5.3% of the total Banyule economy, against a backdrop of a Melbourne-wide downward trend from 4.9% to 4.6%.

There is continued growth in retail nationally and regionally, but year on year the margin of growth is decreasing.

Online shopping is having a marked impact on the traditional high street. Online sales are leading to a dramatic reduction in prices of goods and services from onshore and offshore (helped by an over-valued Australian dollar), as a result of lower labour costs and the cost associated with physical outlets, offset to a small extent by delivery costs. Over 5% of retail sales are now online (over 10% in USA), heading for over a quarter in the decades ahead (IBISWorld, 2012).

A major challenge for retailers in Banyule will be in coping with the rise in online sales. Possible approaches may include; competing through superior customer service and direct customer contact; adapting business models to include an online presence, or; diversifying into markets that still require a shopfront and high street presence. The latter can be witnessed in many inner suburban areas with the growth of service-based shopping strips predominantly comprised of cafes, personal health and fitness and allied health professionals.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Education and Training The growth in Education and Training sector jobs – 1,363 jobs between 2006 and 2011 – can be roughly equally attributed to TAFE (with an increase of 707 jobs) and Preschool and School Education (an increase of 656 jobs). While value-added figures show that the education sector will see some growth, it is not expected to keep pace with the economy as a whole. Given the anticipated TAFE funding cuts, it is likely that jobs in this sector will be adversely affected in coming years.

Manufacturing The manufacturing sector has experienced a decline in its workforce from 4,284 in 2006 to 3,583 in 2011, a decrease of 701 or 16.4%. In the same period, the wider Melbourne manufacturing workforce also declined from a share of 13.5% of the total to 8.1%. In this context, Banyule’s manufacturing decline is not so dramatic, as it slipped from 10% of the total workforce to 8.1%.

Manufacturing contributes 10.8% of the total value added by the Banyule economy (on a par with education and training). In the wider Northern Melbourne region, manufacturing comprises 16.3% of the total value added.

In Banyule, the top four manufacturing sub-sectors in terms of employment are food products (534 jobs, NIEIR, 2011), automotive (515), machinery and equipment (454) and chemicals (422).

This pattern is mirrored by the regional picture. In terms of employment and value added, the three largest manufacturing industries in Melbourne’s North are automotive, food product manufacturing and chemicals.

A key issue for the manufacturing workforce is keeping up with the increasing skill requirements of a more complex and technology driven sector.

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (PSTS) have seen a significant increase in their workforce from 2,329 in 2006 to 2,714 in 2011, an increase of 385 jobs or 16.5%. There is likely to be a strong correlation between the PSTS sector and the dominant Health sector in Banyule, with many PSTS businesses having a relationship with the large health institutions or forming a part of the cluster of businesses in Heidelberg’s medical precinct.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Rationale for the Place Key Directions Maintain and improve Banyule as a place to live Banyule residents value their lifestyle and the benefits that living in a rich natural and suburban environment brings. Local lifestyle includes access to local shops, services and facilities, provision of parks, open spaces and recreation opportunities, and connectivity to jobs.

The development of residential areas in Banyule has occurred incrementally over more than a century. Each of Banyule’s residential neighbourhoods has a recognisable physical character. This character includes the architectural design of homes, landscaping, size and type of trees and topography, views and vistas. Residents of Banyule value many things about the physical character of their neighbourhoods particularly the aesthetic and environmental contribution made by trees and other vegetation.

The population of Banyule will grow steadily over the next thirty years, according to figures provided by the State Government. Such growth has the potential to have a significant impact on the character of Banyule’s neighbourhoods. While household size may have ceased to decrease in recent years, it remains at historically low levels, which means that projected population increases have a disproportionately large impact on household forecasts.

Without more land available for ‘greenfield’ development in Banyule, additional housing will be predominantly provided by higher and medium density housing. This will slowly change the character of Banyule. While such change is inevitable, if managed carefully, it can enhance the liveability of the city.

The capacity to live locally can be further enhanced by carefully planning the location and density of new housing development in the municipality. The existing activity centres in Banyule already offer good access to shops, services, places of employment and public transport. Parts of Banyule are also reasonably well serviced by the public transport network. By focusing new housing developments in and around activity centres and along principal public transport routes, the ability of people to live locally will be enhanced.

Family and household types are changing in Banyule. Consistent with national trends, couple families without children are soon expected to outnumber couple families with children.

People have different housing needs. Housing needs will be different for families, the elderly, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, students and those with impaired mobility.

Banyule is well serviced by detached and relatively large dwellings but poorly serviced by smaller homes. Small homes tend to be cheaper to buy, run and maintain.

Housing variety can better meet a range of housing needs. Increasing the variety of housing across Banyule will help ensure that residents are not forced to live in inappropriate housing and enable people to live within their communities.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Universal design refers to designs that accommodate the widest range of potential users, including people with disabilities and other special needs. Housing based upon universal design principles can be constructed to be adaptable and accommodate residents throughout all stages of their lives. Universal housing design can help achieve this and involves incorporating design features that can be easily adapted at a later date as the needs of the occupants change.

The provision of a variety of housing types also contributes to economic sustainability, ensuring that households on varying income levels can have access to housing that meets their needs.

There is a direct link between housing affordability and community diversity. Housing that is affordable allows people of all ages and incomes to be part of the community.

Council has identified a range of strategic themes for action in its Housing Strategy Action Plan: Sustainability, Affordability, Diversity, Character & Infrastructure, and Services & Transport.

Strengthen local activity and employment areas Development growth will continue to be guided towards Banyule’s main activity areas, including Greensborough, Heidelberg and Ivanhoe. Growth will be guided in this way to: • Reinforce Council’s protection of the preferred character of neighbourhoods • Enhance the local ‘offer’ so that more jobs, goods, services and facilities are available in convenient proximity to where people live • Encourage the development of mixed-uses that contribute to the vibrancy of our activity areas Council will encourage investment that supports local jobs growth, particularly in those industry sectors that have a strong foothold in Banyule, such as health and social care, retail and education and training. We will also seek to strengthen emerging growth sectors within the local economy, particularly where this supports the clustering of activities and the promotion of ‘knowledge spillovers’. Knowledge spillovers occur when knowledge-intensive industries are located in close proximity within a local environment that is conducive to social interactions (such as shopping areas with places to socialise).

The strong health sector in Banyule is led by the principal institutions in and around the Austin Health Centre in Heidelberg. Smaller businesses benefit too from this agglomeration of activity.

Allied health professionals have clustered in the area, as they reap the benefits of close proximity to health institutions and their peers. Heidelberg’s good transport connectivity assists the cluster in drawing the high skilled workforce they need to grow and sustain their activities.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 There is potential for further strengthening of the health cluster by forging and developing links with other significant employment, innovation and research nodes in the region, including Northland and La Trobe University.

Some parts of Banyule have missed out on the benefits of investment, Heidelberg West in particular. However, there is substantial opportunity to be harnessed in Heidelberg West, with the State’s program of housing renewal, a strong and well connected local community, proximity to significant employment opportunities, tertiary education and research and technology facilities. Banyule will seek to coordinate its work in Heidelberg West to maximise benefit to the local community, and to integrate with other partners to bring about positive change in the area.

Our local activity areas are not just about employment. They are also places where our communities connect with each other, whether passively in accessing goods and services or actively in using local facilities such as libraries. Increasingly areas require multi-use facilities that can flexibly respond to the changing needs of an area. The development of Community Hubs in Ivanhoe, Watsonia and Heidelberg West will significantly improve community facilities in Banyule in an integrated and adaptable way.

Support thriving commercial and retail activity Commercial and retail businesses form the core of our local economic activity. Residents connect with these centres and value the range and diversity of their local retail offer, complemented by local facilities and services, such as Watermarc at Greensborough and the Town Hall in Ivanhoe.

Local shops provide the beating heart to our local neighbourhoods, a focal point for activity, social connections and economic interactions. Local businesses contribute to our economic growth and employment opportunities for residents. For instance, the retail sector has many localised economic benefits, including offering flexible employment. Young people in particular benefit from the range of opportunities afforded by a strong and vibrant retail sector.

The retail and commercial sector has a significant role to play in retaining spend within Banyule and reducing ‘escape expenditure’. Escape expenditure occurs when consumers choose to spend elsewhere. Retention of spend within the local economy has multiplying economic benefits, creating cycles of spend that benefit local economic growth and employment. By promoting the range of local goods and services on offer across Banyule’s activity areas, consumers and businesses can be encouraged to spend locally and escape expenditure can be reduced.

Banyule has a strong Special Rates and Charges scheme that operates across eleven of our shopping areas. The scheme provides local traders with the opportunity to work together and target funding, raised by a charge or rate on premises, towards locally identified marketing and promotion initiatives. Banyule’s scheme is unique, because Council provides match funding to the levied charge or rate. The match funding is used by traders to either supplement marketing and promotion activity, or to invest in other priorities such as streetscape upgrades, beautification or public art.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 The Special Rates and Charges scheme is Council’s principal mechanisms for supporting thriving commercial and retail activity, but it can only be sustained by a strong and capable network of traders. The capacity of traders’ associations to govern effectively, including managing investment, is critical to the ongoing success of the scheme.

Enhance Banyule’s public and open spaces Parks, gardens and green spaces are valued by residents as key ingredients to our local lifestyle.

They also contribute to our overall health and wellbeing, as places where we exercise, play, socialise and connect with our natural surroundings.

Public and open spaces are not just about those areas that are officially designated as such. Our footpaths, shared spaces shopping areas and other spaces also serve as important places that facilitate interaction and contribute to the quality, vibrancy and character of our public realm.

Public spaces provide focal points for communities: venues to celebrate culture and community; places to recreate and play; spaces to rest or slow down; and the opportunity to reconnect with our environment.

The significance of public space becomes more pressing as cities develop and threaten to enclose more and more of what were thought of as commonly shared, public spaces and places.

Opportunities to enlarge and enliven the public realm must be seized including the creation of public space from the private realm.

Natural public open spaces are important components of the public realm. River and creek corridors that run through Banyule provide enhanced access to the natural environment. These natural public open spaces are high in aesthetic, health, recreational and environmental value.

Local vegetation corridors, parks and playgrounds function symbolically and practically as the ‘lungs’ of a city.

The public realm includes roads, nature strips, front gardens, railway and creek reserves, and vacant state owned land. A co-operative approach to the management of landscape and view corridors along streetscapes, railway lines, rivers, roads and freeways can improve the open space experience without needing to purchase the land.

Support sustainable transport How we move around Banyule has a significant impact on our quality of life, where we go shopping, the services and facilities we use, and our overall residential amenity. Likewise, the way in which other people move around has a significant impact, with local and through traffic playing a large role in negative perceptions of our local neighbourhoods. Transport has positive and negative effects on our locality. Transport can provide access to the wide range of opportunities locally and within the metropolitan area, but it can also be a negative factor in local amenity and enjoying our local environment.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Walking is the most basic and common way we move about. It is free, has little detrimental impact on the environment, and most people can do it. It is good for our health as it promotes physical fitness. It can simply be a pleasurable end in itself. The desire to walk is increased when our destinations lie within a walkable distance from where we live, and are navigable, accessible and pleasant.

Cycling offers similar advantages to walking in terms of the health benefits, comparatively low cost and negligible environmental impacts. Both modes allow people to stop and talk or simply to say hello in a way that is impossible from the confines of a motor car.

Public transport also offers many advantages. It is comparatively inexpensive to use, less affected by traffic congestion, relatively environmentally sustainable, and usually connects with key community destinations.

The advent of the motor car significantly influenced Melbourne and Banyule’s urban development. Melbourne’s suburban expansion has been premised on residential areas dominated by separate houses on individual lots supported by major roads. As a consequence, Banyule is a highly car dependent community.

The dependency on motor vehicles has many shortcomings: roads fragment our neighbourhoods; traffic flows decrease as traffic volumes increase; cars pollute our atmosphere; dependency on the motor car excludes people without access to this form of transport.

We have designed our cities around the motor vehicle in ways which discourage walking.

Pedestrians are particularly sensitive to traffic speed and volumes, roadway conditions, street aesthetics, and perceptions of street crime. Steps, steep inclines (common in Banyule), and surface irregularities can present significant obstacles to children, older people, people with disabilities and people using strollers and shopping carts.

Local government does not often have a direct role to play in either delivering or directing transport infrastructure and provision. The federal and state governments are key agents in delivering large infrastructure projects (such as new road and rail links) and making macroeconomic changes that seek to influence consumer and taxpayer behaviour (such as taxes on petrol). However, local government is given a significant role in the State planning process, guiding growth and development and shaping Banyule’s built form.

By adopting an integrated approach to urban planning and traffic management local government can greatly enhance the ‘walkability’ of the places we inhabit. Walkability is improved by a range of physical factors including the degree of separation from moving traffic, size and quality of footpaths, security and comfort for walking, provision of pedestrian crossings, street connectivity and street furniture. The likelihood of walking is enhanced by developing walking routes that are convenient, convivial and connected.

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 By focusing new retail, commercial, community facilities and residential developments near existing public transport local government can increase the appeal of walking, the convenience of public transport use, decrease reliance on the motor vehicle and improve access to local opportunities for living, working, shopping and playing in a more liveable way.

Sustainable transport is about shifting our transport choices to ways that: • • •

Have less negative impact on the environment, locally (in terms of noise and air pollution) and beyond (in terms of emissions that contribute to climate change) Cause less road congestion Contribute positively to health and wellbeing

Sometimes, modal shift is about promoting simple changes in behaviour, such as walking or cycling to the shops rather than driving, or commuting by public transport rather than car.

Council can encourage and enable behaviour change by: • • •

Managing its assets so that alternative transport options are safe and accessible Promoting the advantages of alternative transport options, such as the health benefits of walking and cycling Improving the ‘walkability’ of activity areas and the connections between them

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Banyule Place: Policy 2013-2017 Policy context

State Policy The primary policy for land use and transport in Melbourne is the Metropolitan Planning Strategy (MPS), which is enshrined in Melbourne 2030. However, the State Government is reviewing the MPS and is planning to commit to a new policy by Spring 2013. At the time of drafting the Place Policy, the State Government had released a Discussion Paper (Melbourne: Let’s Talk About the Future), with an expectation to publish a draft MPS later in 2013. Early interpretations of the emerging MPS indicate that the Strategy may include: Focus on jobs rather than Activity Centres Activity Centres will have an important role to play in Melbourne’s future, but they should not be the only focus for development and growth. Employment and competitiveness should be encouraged by recognising that job locations have changed dramatically, and some jobs and innovation clusters are situated away from Activity Centres. The new starting point for planning Melbourne’s overall form will be jobs. Health and education will be the biggest growth sectors in metropolitan Melbourne and housing should be concentrated around these services with good public transport connections. As well as providing jobs, health and education contribute to broader notions of community amenity and social connections.

Recognition will be given to existing and future ‘employment and innovation clusters’ and the rationalisation of higher level activity centres as a focus for public investment.

Accessibility There is a developing notion of a “20 minute city”, where all residents are no more than 20 minutes away from the services and facilities that they require. Commitment to a 20 minute city raises issues of services and amenities accessibility for some of Banyule’s residents. For instance, in some suburbs elderly people without access to a car may suffer from social and community exclusion.

Suburban character Explicit recognition will be given to the suburban character of Melbourne and retention of that characteristic. However, it is proposed that the environmental performance of suburbs can be dramatically improved. Neighbourhood approaches to sustainability would be encouraged, including rain water tanks, energy efficiency, waste recycling and water conservation.

Vegetation and trees The leafy green suburbs are specifically recognised as making a significant contribution to Melbourne’s overall character and they should be protected and enhanced. There is a suggestion to take a more targeted approach to development in such areas, with greater clarity given to anticipated change.

Partnership approaches to accompany investment Comprehensive multi-agency approaches are required to accompany major investment, to increase added value and to adequately address multi-dimensional regeneration and renewal issues. It is proposed that areas with multiple disadvantage would benefit from a step-change in partnership working.

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Our Objective for Place Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Key presenting issues

Banyule has a strong identity, as a place of residence, employment and recreation. People value the strong sense of place that they attach to Banyule, in the residential amenity of their neighbourhood, their local shopping area and the public and open spaces where we play, socialise and interact with others.

Sometimes our different interests in Banyule will complement each other, and other times they may conflict. The Place Policy and Strategy boosts the complementarity of the way in which we use our spaces and shape our places, and to recognise, minimise and manage potential conflict.

This section identifies the key presenting issues within the policy framework, including issues that were identified as part of the City Plan consultation process, and indicates some potential strategic interventions.

Changing population and impact on services • The local population is growing steadily at approximately 0.5% per year. Banyule’s population is increasingly diverse.

• Banyule has a growing elderly population. People of 50 years and over account for 30% of the population, but by 2031 this figure is expected to reach over 40%. Coupled with a continuing ‘baby boom’ there is increasing demand on community and health services and facilities within Banyule. The baby boom is primarily driven by couples with children increasing the size of their families.

• It is estimated that within the next three years the number of families without children living in Banyule will outnumber families with children.

The value of neighbourhood character • People value their local neighbourhoods, the built form, vegetation and topography that contribute towards them. The consultation process for development of the City Plan confirmed that many residents see protection of neighbourhood character as a primary issue for Council. The view from residents reemphasises the work that Council has done to protect residential amenity, through the incorporation of the Neighbourhood Character Strategy into the Banyule Planning Scheme.

Traffic congestion is a pressing and growing local problem • A key issue of concern to many local residents is traffic congestion in Banyule, and its impact on residential amenity, road safety and the environment. The problem is compounded by the poor alternative transport options in some parts of Banyule.

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Opportunities for growth in key employment areas/ industry sectors • The economic geography of Banyule favours the continuing development of activity clustered around existing specialist centres of knowledge, research and agglomeration.

• The hospitals precinct in Heidelberg already acts as a magnet for allied health industry development, however there is a significant opportunity to reap further benefit for Banyule.

The hospital precinct is one corner of a triangle of economic and research activity, with the Northland area and La Trobe University (both in Darebin) acting as the two other corners.

The cluster is delivering health and medical, high-technology, education, research and other benefits to the Banyule, and wider, economy. There is potential to develop the cluster further, capitalising on the location of knowledge-intensive, dynamic economic activity for the benefit of Banyule as a whole, and local neighbourhoods such as Heidelberg West.

Local economy • The health sector is a major catalyst for strongly emerging sectors, principally professional, scientific and technical services (PSTS). Growth in PSTS has outstripped the Melbourne average over the past few years.

• Banyule’s large Activity Centres (Greensborough, Heidelberg and Ivanhoe) are key economic drivers and focal points for activity in the locality and sub-region. However, the evolving state planning system is taking a new approach for some commercial land uses in residential areas that may cause conflict for focusing economic growth towards activity centres.

• Banyule has a shortage of commercial floorspace. Conditions for improved local economic growth in health and other sectors can be promoted through release of vertical air space in activity centres.

Continued development and impact on open space • As Banyule’s population grows there is an increasing threat to public and open space.

Paradoxically, a growing population presses higher demands on the provision of parks, open spaces and recreation opportunities. There is a need to protect the key areas of public and open space that are valued, and to make better use of underutilised spaces.

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Threats to the traditional high street and opportunities for new growth • Retail is the “face” of the Banyule economy, but it is losing workers, which is having a disproportionate effect on the younger workforce. Retail also faces strong competition from changing consumer behaviour, including online sales.

• Other threats to Banyule’s main streets and strip shopping centres in their current form include: the encroachment of office development on retail space and the potential growth of more service-oriented local shopping (such as cafes, gyms and allied health services).

• There are opportunities to develop greater coordination amongst activity centres in bringing about a shared Banyule offer, with centres complementing as well as competing. Such an approach would aim to bring about increased trade for centres, but could also generate further investment through land development.

Reducing escape expenditure benefits our local economy • Escape expenditure affects local economic growth. This occurs where local consumers are choosing to purchase goods and services outside of the municipality.

• Measures to reduce escape expenditure will include enabling activity centres and economic hubs to capture a greater market share. For instance, focusing housing growth in and around activity centres enables generation of local consumer demand.

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Objective for Place

Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

Key Directions

‘Place’ describes the buildings, structures and spaces in which we live, work, shop and play. It is about our surroundings, how we interact with and move about within them. ‘Place’ also shapes our interactions with others and influences the quality and frequency of our social and economic activities. ‘Place’ is dynamic and influenced by many factors, most notably the aspirations of landowners and statutory approval systems that are governed through State and sometimes Federal decision making.

To help improve the liveability of Banyule we will focus on the following key directions: 1. Live:

Maintain and improve Banyule as a great place to live

2. Work: Strengthen local activity and employment areas 3. Shop:

Support thriving commercial and retail activity

4. Play:

Enhance Banyule’s public and open spaces

5. Move:

Support sustainable transport

Strategic framework for the Place Key Directions

The strategic framework and approach to deliver on the Place key directions is as follows:

Key Direction 1 Live: Maintain and improve Banyule as a great place to live We will protect, maintain and enhance Banyule’s preferred neighbourhood character within the extent of our authority by encouraging development that is sympathetic to the environment and community needs. We will continue to refine local planning policy and guidelines to promote the preferred character of neighbourhoods. We will work proactively with the community to enhance local vegetation and contribute to a greener Banyule.

We will also strive to direct future housing growth and development towards areas close to public transport, shops, business and community facilities, with good connections to other local services and facilities. We will encourage and promote improved design that considers accessibility and sustainability and contributes to overall liveability.

Council will plan, manage and operate Banyule’s core physical assets sustainably to meet current and future community needs.

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Our focus areas We will: • Promote the preferred character of neighbourhoods and preferred places for development • Encourage greater diversity and sustainability of housing • Promote the improved design of local neighbourhoods to enhance ease of movement and access to goods, services and employment • Renew and maintain Banyule’s public assets to defined and agreed standards • Encourage the community to contribute to the greening of Banyule

Key Direction 2 Work: Strengthen local activity and employment areas Local activity areas are the hubs of community, social and economic activity in Banyule, and they play a key role in providing local employment and economic growth opportunities.

We will guide growth to activity centres, and seek additional infrastructure investment to complement anticipated growth in employment, residential and retail areas. Local activity areas will be places of mixed and vibrant activity, where people can live, work, shop and play within their local area.

Where a more concentrated local effort is required, we will look specifically at some parts of Banyule to coordinate our approach and realise shared benefits with the State government and the local community.

We will work with existing employment areas to promote growth and clustering of economic activity, capitalising on strengths such as proximity to knowledge and learning institutions.

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Our focus areas We will: • Explore funding opportunities to grow activity areas, including Greensborough, Heidelberg and Ivanhoe • Encourage investment that supports local jobs growth • Support the regeneration of Heidelberg West (3081) • Create community hubs at Ivanhoe, Watsonia and Heidelberg West Key Direction 3 Shop: Support thriving commercial and retail activity We will continue to enable the development of viable and attractive activity centres with strong commercial areas that encourage people to work and shop locally.

Our focus areas We will: • Support activity centres to enhance local retail and commercial activity • Work in partnership with traders to market and promote Banyule’s retail and commercial offer Key Direction 4 Play: Enhance Banyule’s public and open spaces Banyule’s publicly used, locally managed spaces are important places to meet and engage in social or leisure activities. We will protect and improve these spaces and plan for renewed, new and modified spaces.

We are committed to providing accessible, safe and appealing public spaces for sport, recreation and community activities. This includes non-sporting (passive) spaces such as parks, playgrounds, and trails as well as reserves where active sport is played.

Our focus areas We will: • Provide and maintain beautiful open spaces across Banyule for passive and active use • Provide and maintain well designed public spaces that have great public amenity, are accessible and strengthen community connections • Provide suitable community gathering spaces and look for opportunities for new and shared spaces and facilities

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Banyule Place: Strategy 2013-2017 Structure

Delivery of the Place Strategy’s key directions will rely on the contribution from a range of plans and strategies across the Council. Some plans and strategies will contribute to more than one key direction, however the diagram below illustrates where each plan or strategy will make its principal contribution.

Place Strategy

Live Neighbourhood Character Strategy

Housing Strategy

Work

Activity Centre Structure Plans Economic Development Plan (in development)

Street Tree Plan (in development)

Capital Works Plan

Shop

Shopping Centre Business Plans

Capital Works Plan

3081 Strategy Framework

Ivanhoe Civic Precinct Masterplan

Play

Move

Public Open Space Plan

Integrated Transport Plan

(in review)

(in development)

Darebin Creek Master Plan

Road Management Plan

Simms Road Reserve Master Plan

Pathways Asset Management Plan

Key Activity Areas Parking Plans

Banyule Bike Strategy

Heritage Strategy

Liveable Housing Guidelines

Asset Category Plans

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