By NICOLE VALICEK
HOBSONS Bay City Council will make its voice heard in a discussion on the State Government’s long-term planning vision for Melbourne.
The council has made a submission to the State Government’s draft Metropolitan Planning Strategy, known as Plan Melbourne.
The plan will provide the strategic impetus for future planning decisions concerning housing, employment, infrastructure and the environment in Melbourne.
The council’s submission includes the provision of affordable housing, the need to protect industrial areas from inappropriate encroachment and the need to further protect the urban growth boundary.
Hobsons Bay mayor Sandra Wilson said the council welcomed the strategy, but wanted to see a number of concerns specific to the municipality addressed.
These include planning around industrial areas and major hazard facilities and the formal recognition of buffer zones and a greater commitment to the western portion of an east west road link.
The inclusion of affordable housing and identification of coastal hazards as a result of climate change, particularly in low lying municipalities such as Hobsons Bay were other key areas cited.
“We would also like to see more support for educational and training infrastructure, but are encouraged that the strategy recognised health and wellbeing as crucial for land use planning.”
Cr Hemphill noted the changes to planning in Melbourne in the report and particularly the report’s reference to deliver housing closer to jobs and transport.
“We’re not proactive enough in ensuring there are plenty of places people can build offices, workplaces so that we can solve some of the transport problems in getting out of our city,” he said.
“We need to recognise, I think we do, that we provide places to work close to where people live, making less people travel out of the municipality to work.”
Cr Wilson said the strategy should be applauded for its positive approach to waste management and waste recovery sites, as well as providing a framework to rebalance population growth towards regional areas.
“The draft Plan Melbourne: Metropolitan Planning Strategy will impact on our residents, land owners and business operators.”
“It is important that the council represents our community to achieve the best possible outcomes for now and well into the future.”
She said council was concerned over the plan entailing any cost shifting that would place further stress on the council resources and revenue streams. Submission to Plan Melbourne closes on 6 December.
