The general pattern of housing in Melbourne has been set for many years

That conclusion from the 1929 General Plan of Melbourne was based on the dominance in housing style of the single family dwelling along with the extent of private owner-occupation of those houses. The authors concluded that for the planning period ahead, single family type housing will be the predominant form. Almost a century later, both statements remain true.

Reactions to Covid-19 will change the way people behave but will not change any of the critical structures like

• the shape of the city – its layout and patterns;

• the way people live – as in 1929, a single detached dwelling will still be the popular form of housing;

• the way people get around the city – private road transport will continue to be the dominant form with its dominance increased by the older demographic more careful about using public transport, and despite an increasing number of cyclists;

• the use of public space for interaction – people will want face to face engagement with an increased use of technology.

I say:

• Robert Hoddle’s 1837 grid layout for the city and surrounds will not change. It cannot: notwithstanding changes to the purpose or function of the streets.

• The fundamentals of outward growth the 1929 plan for Melbourne are as entrenched as the transport routes it advocated as lines of development. Interesting that the 1929 plan was based on growth at 3.5% per annum.

• The planning scheme prepared by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) from 1954, when it was appointed the planning agency, to 1958 reinforced a century old pattern of development along train and tram lines (thanks to Premier Tommy Bent for his devotion to building many routes around the turn of the 20th century).

• The principles underlying the expansion of the metropolis proposed by the MMBW in 1971 will remain because, eventually, they were supported by implementation strategies and complementary policies for suburbs and particular parts like activity centres that gave us the café society.

Geoff Underwood, Director, Underwood & Hume

• Melbourne 2030, with its manifestation of many of the MMBW philosophies based on objectives of how to control the continuing growth of the metropolis, later spawned policy like growth area policy to shape and fashion that growth.

• The built form born of these policies is fixed. Unlike in 1929, there is higher density development including residential towers in the city area and apartments along the transport routes built on the Adams philosophy. In the growth areas, Precinct Structure Plans set the future for 20 years built on the Seamer philosophy. Under both approaches, both new and renew, the shape of the city is as presented in 1929.

Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 is the current ‘statement of planning policy’. It has outcomes worth pursuing and actions to achieve them. The 1971 changes took 7 years to finalise and much longer before the outcomes were on the ground. That’s the nature of planning. It takes time to achieve and see the outcomes.

A look back helps a look forward. Where we have been directs where we are going. A look back to 1929 gives more than a glimpse of 2050. The bones are strong. The skeleton of the city will not change. If that’s so, what comes from Covid-19?

There will be calls to pause and review what’s happening. It makes sense to take time for review. Maybe there will be calls to rethink the plan. Do all that, but I say the changes from Covid-19 will be behavioural rather than structural. We can’t and won’t change the Hoddle grid nor will we move away from the standardised approach to suburban layouts. We are increasing open space allocations both private and public and there will be more connectivity through walking and cycling but the fundamentals will stay the same. I say, they can’t change.

The way we use the spatial layout of our city will change. There will be more pop-ups to fit uses [only where allowed because no matter how Smart we might get with our planning, zoning will still be the measure and red tape will be red tape]. There will be a reversion to local rather than the centre [supporting the strip centre over the mall for small things, especially the coffee]. Apartment living will lessen in favour because of a perception that living in dense locations is a threat to health [and that means detached housing will still dominate and growing suburbs will be the preferred locations for family living].

The more we change, the more things stay the same.

Geoff Underwood has been at the forefront of planning for over 40 years, serving as Chair on numerous ministerial advisory bodies including: The Victorian Government Urban Development Programme; Victorian Planning System Ministerial Advisory Committee, Zone Review Advisory Committee and the SPPF Advisory Committee. He was also on the VPELA Board for more than 10 years.